Vizhinjam: The Kottukkal Punnakulam-Chappath road has become a perilous stretch. Unfilled trenches dug for pipe-laying on the Payattuvila-Nellimoodu road are not only posing danger to vehicles but also causing significant traffic congestion. Locals have also raised complaints that the Punnakulam-Vengappotta service road of the bypass was constructed with insufficient width.

On a curved stretch of the road, a large crater has formed where the shoulder has collapsed. The danger is particularly acute for vehicles, especially two-wheelers. Night travel along this section poses the greatest risk.

It is believed that the collapse occurred because the soil beneath the road was washed away by rain. Residents also complained that an uncovered pit dug for pipe-laying at Punnakulam Junction poses an additional accident hazard. Another grievance is the lack of space for vehicles to pass each other when approaching from opposite directions.

Locals report that similar issues plague the Kottukkal Payattuvila-Nellimoodu road, where trenches dug for pipe-laying have not been restored to their original condition, leading to both accident risks and traffic bottlenecks. During peak hours, including school times, the Nellimoodu road experiences traffic jams lasting for hours, residents added.

The complaint about insufficient width specifically pertains to the incline and decline sections of the Punnakulam-Vengappotta service road that connects to the bypass. This narrowness, locals say, makes it difficult for vehicles to pass.