Property owner alleges PWD removed construction materials without consent in Kottayam

Karukachal: A clearance operation by the Public Works Department (PWD) in Karukachal has sparked a dispute after officials reportedly removed soil and granite loads placed near the Karukachal–Mallappally road. The property owner alleged that the materials were taken away without his consent.

According to officials from the PWD Roads Division, which cleared the materials from the roadside, the granite loads were shifted to the adjoining property, while the soil heaps were removed entirely. Earlier, around five loads of soil and stone that had been lying on the property of Alexander N Samuel at Narolippadi, as well as along the roadside, were found missing.

Following this, Alexander filed a complaint with the police. During the investigation, it was revealed that the materials had been removed by PWD authorities while Alexander and his family were away from the site.

Officials stated that the soil and granite had been lying close to the tarring portion of the road for several months, posing a safety risk to motorists and pedestrians. After receiving multiple complaints, the PWD filed a report with the police seeking to identify those responsible for dumping the materials along the roadside.

As no response was received from the police and complaints about the obstruction continued, the department proceeded to clear the area. The soil was later dumped at a work site along the Kochuparambu–Shantipuram Road, where road maintenance was underway. The granite loads, officials said, were moved inside the owner’s property.

Alexander, however, maintained that removing the materials from his property without his knowledge was inappropriate. He said he plans to pursue legal action over the removal of the soil and stone loads in his absence.