Work on 700-metre stretch begins for faster route from Perumbavoor to Kakkanad

Perumbavoor: A shorter route linking Perumbavoor with Kizhakkambalam and Kakkanad is finally taking shape. Once the remaining 700-metre stretch of the Shalem–Puliyambilly–Thottappadampadi road is restored and surfaced, commuters will be able to cut nearly three kilometres from their journey along this busy route.

The pending stretch lies between Anand Oil at Puliyambilly and the Seema Crusher. The road, branching from the Thottappadan junction on PP Road, connects to the Shalem School area. Though damaged for nearly a decade, the road has been gradually restored in phases. About ₹1.25 crore has already been spent to repair nearly two kilometres of the stretch.

At present, vehicles, including buses to Kizhakkambalam and Kakkanad, take a detour from Onamkulam on PP Road. If the deviation is shifted to the Thottappadan junction, nearly three kilometres can be saved. The road also holds potential for introducing new bus services in the future. The only unfinished portion lies near Choondamala hill, where travelling has long been treacherous. Work on this section, started in 2016, was stalled due to various issues.

One major controversy arose when white granite quarried from the hill was crushed and used for tarring. Complaints poured in after poor-quality work was reported, prompting a quality-control inspection and subsequent action. The tarring of the Puliyambilly–Alinchuvadu junction stretch in Shalem, which was less than half a centimetre thick, triggered further criticism as the road was damaged within a week of being laid.

Following public intervention, the surface laying from Shalem through Puliyambilly to Thottappadampadi up to Kariyilakkulam, at the valley of Choondamala, was redone with floor tiles, providing an average width of 5 to 5.5 metres. With this section now completed, the road will serve the public once the works across Choondamala hill to Puliyambilly are finished.