Kollam: With the arrival of the monsoon, what was once touted as a high-tech road in the Kollam Corporation limits has turned into a virtual stream.

The Kottoorkulam–Vayalil Kulangara Road, falling under the Corporation’s 53rd division, was modernised and re-laid in 2018–19. Yet, waterlogging has remained a persistent issue ever since. Now, during the rains, the entire stretch becomes submerged, making it nearly impossible even for pedestrians to use the road safely.

The core problem, according to locals, is the levelling of a major waterbody on a private land nearby. Water from the area has been redirected to the road and despite handeding over private land for drainage construction, authorities are accused of delaying the work indefinitely.

Adding to the mess, the Corporation’s plastic waste collection centre, once operational, now lies abandoned and overgrown with weeds. The demand to clear the plastic waste lying on the road too has gone unheeded. Pre-monsoon cleaning was not carried out this year, also raising concerns over a rise in snake sightings and health hazards. Residents have demanded immediate steps to resolve waterlogging and resume proper cleaning operations.

Crumbling roads, soaring woes
In MRA Nagar, Manayilkkulangara,  waterlogging is making life miserable for commuters along the Vellayittambalam–Manjavil Road, which has fallen into a dilapidated condition. A stretch of nearly 50 metres near an apartment complex is riddled with stagnant,  water. The road edge has begun to erode and the remaining strip of tarred surface is also under threat of collapse.

Students and residents, with no other option, are forced to wade through the waterlogged, unhygienic stretch. During heavy rains, water enters homes nearby and the lack of proper drainage and unscientific road construction are cited to be the key reasons for clearing he road here. The MRA Nagar Residents’ Association has demanded urgent intervention to address the crisis.

Newly tarred, now destroyed
In Mundakkal Udaya Marthandapuram division, a road resurfaced just two years ago has already fallen apart. The stretch between Sneha Lodge and Thankappan Stores, which forms part of the H&C Market–Thumbara Market junction, is now riddled with potholes and cracks.

With the monsoon in full swing, water-filled potholes pose danger to two-wheeler riders. Auto rickshaws are increasingly reluctant to ply the stretch. Locals allege that substandard materials were used for re-tarring, and the top layer of tar has washed away with the first rains.

The Udaya Marthandapuram MRA Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association has demanded a probe into the poor quality of the roadwork and immediate measures to repair the potholes.