Kazhakkoottam: Local residents staged a protest on Wednesday after a large mound of waste was discovered dumped on the premises of the Highway Research Institute near Kerala University’s Karyavattom campus.

The heap— containing plastic bottles, food remnants, used bedsheets and other discarded items—was found just 100 metres from the National Highway. Corporation officials later confirmed that the waste included drinking water bottles used on trains, bedsheets from AC coaches, and other materials bearing Railway markings

Residents detected the waste after following a strong stench early in the morning. When they inspected the area, they found several truckloads’ worth of garbage, some of it partially buried under soil. The community then filed complaints with both the police and the City Corporation.

Corporation officials arrived soon after and began segregating the garbage with the help of sanitation workers. During this process, they identified the waste as originating from the Railways. A notice has since been issued to the Railways, directing them to remove the waste immediately.

Meanwhile, Kazhakkootam police have launched an investigation to determine whether the dumping was carried out by contractors responsible for handling Railway-generated waste. Residents and staff of the Highway Research Institute have demanded the prompt clearing of the site.