A hole lot of problems

Two years after it was opened for  vehicles, the National Highways Authority of India’s Container Terminal Road might lack drainage and lighting systems in several stretches. But it sure has an add on - a gaping hole on one of its bridges through which if a motorist has the time, he/she can view the beautiful backwaters flowing beneath.

The hole formed by the breakup of the concrete and tar on the bridge connecting Moolampilly and Kothad islands on Wednesday has left the locals in the area extremely anxious.

For the 17-km NH highway connecting Vallarpadom Island with Kalamassery has as many as 24 bridges and most of them oft-used by motorists and buses.

“We are highly apprehensive about the development. These bridges are not used by containers alone but by bikes, cars and even buses. If the bridge can develop an open hole in just two years what does that speak about its quality? How will the people be able to travel safely on such a road,” says K B William, president (in-charge) of Kadamakudy panchayat, one of the panchayats through which the road passes.

The panchayat president also accused the NHAI of lack of transparency in the implementation of the project. “Despite being a government project, it was treated as though it was a private affair. The whole area was out of bounds for the locals,” said the president in-charge.

The social activists in the area alleged that the enthusiasm which was shown in the eviction of the people in the area to make way for the project was hardly seen in its execution. “There was no supervision for the project and many safety measures were left incomplete. Two years after it was constructed several areas still lack lighting and drainage systems and often the construction of the bridges and roads itself is so abrupt that it has become accident prone,” said one of the evictees of Vallarpadom, V P Wilson of Eloor.

Meanwhile, the NHAI asserted that it was a minor accident and the road could be repaired after a probe. But in any case the reason for the accident would be investigated and the hole and the weak portions redone,” said the NHAI, Director C T Abraham.