Feroke: For the residents of Chunkam Ilayidathu Thazham, wading through water has become a grim annual ritual with the arrival of the monsoon. Madhavan Road, which connects Farook Chunkam to Chullipparambu, turns into a virtual stream every rainy season.

A 100-metre stretch from Thalanjippadam to Ilayidathu Thazham resembles a flowing river during heavy rains, bringing vehicular movement to a complete standstill as water levels rise to the knee. What makes matters worse is that the water doesn’t recede even after the skies clear. Water continues to flow through here for days, leaving residents with no choice but to trudge through the flooded path.

Among the worst affected are school children,  who are forced to wade to class. The monsoon runoff from higher areas like Chullipparambu, Kottamangalam, and Kulangarappadam rushes down into the low-lying Thalanjippadam. This water should drain into the Pullipuzha River via the Panambalam canal.

However, the root of the issue lies in the canal’s inadequate width, which prevents it from carrying the volume of water that collects in Thalanjippadam. Though authorities have proposed building a culvert across the road to ease the perennial waterlogging in Ilayidathu Thazham, the project remains stuck in a web of delays.