Kannur: Frustrated by official inaction, residents of Kottakkunnu in Kannur district took matters into their own hands and repaired a key local road that had been damaged during pipeline work under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

The road connecting Peringome and Kottakkunnu was in good condition until it was dug up by a contractor laying a potable water pipeline. The work was part of a larger initiative to address water scarcity in the area. Residents had allowed the contractor to dig a trench along one side of the recently tarred road after he promised it would be restored with concrete once the pipe-laying was complete.

However, after laying the pipes, the contractor abandoned the site, leaving the road in a severely damaged and unmotorable condition.

Despite repeated complaints to local authorities and the panchayat member, no steps were taken to restore the road. In response, members of the Kottakkunnu Residents’ Association, led by president Saji Mathew, along with M Rajan, C D Skariah, and Biju Karathinkal, filled the ditches with stones to enable vehicular movement.

The issue is not isolated. Several roads in Cherupuzha panchayat have been left in disrepair after Jal Jeevan Mission work, disrupting daily transportation. Residents are now urging the authorities to restore road connectivity without further delay.