Pothole in Kottayam repaired for the seventh time; locals fear it won’t last

Erumely: The notorious pothole at the Karinkallumoozhy curve on the Ranni road has been filled and closed for the seventh time. Locals, however, remain sceptical, fearing the patchwork repair won’t last long as overloaded trucks continue to ply the stretch even during ongoing maintenance.

The crater-like pothole, which has caused multiple accidents in recent months, has been repaired by the Public Works Department (PWD) seven times in the past three months alone. Of these, it was filled twice with quarry waste, twice with concrete, and resurfaced with tar on three occasions. Each time, the repair failed as lorries carrying stone boulders from nearby quarries repeatedly damaged the surface.

The use of quarry waste for temporary filling has also worsened dust pollution in the area. The problem intensifies as trucks make a sharp, slanting turn at the curve, loosening the tar and reopening the pit. During rains, the pothole fills with water, posing a serious risk to motorists. Several people have been injured after motorcycles and autorickshaws lost control upon hitting the pothole.

Local MLA Sebastian Kulathunkal recently visited the site, held discussions with PWD officials, and directed them to close the pothole immediately. Acting on his instructions, the department once again carried out patchwork repairs.

Taurus trucks continue to pose trouble
The MLA said discussions will be held with the police and the Motor Vehicles Department to consider diverting heavily loaded Taurus trucks through an alternate route to prevent further damage.

Residents, however, insist that a permanent solution can be achieved only if the movement of quarry trucks through the stretch is completely restricted. They allege that many of these trucks carry up to five times the permissible load, while officials continue to turn a blind eye to the violation.