Vadakara: Local residents at Mukkali on Wednesday halted National Highway works after the Mukkali–MP Road was dug up without any prior intimation, leaving neighbourhoods abruptly cut off.

Authorities had excavated the road citing the construction of a protective wall. However, the sudden digging meant even vehicles parked inside houses nearby could not be taken out, triggering immediate public anger.

Just two weeks ago, the  construction company had assured, in a meeting held in the presence of the MLA, that the protective wall for the NH would be completed first before removing soil from other locations. The assurance came after soil near the newly built NH stretch had begun to erode. The company had also promised that soil would be removed only after the wall was in place.

Seeing the assurance violated, residents intervened and stopped the work on the spot. Construction company officials soon arrived and, after talks, agreed that further digging would be carried out only after creating an alternative route for vehicle movement. With that commitment, the protest was withdrawn.

The agitation was led by Suresh Babu, Bijoy Kunnummal, Shamseer Chombala, V M Ashraf and M K Riyas, representing various local organisations.