New footpath and streetlights bring fresh life to Kannur Road in Mattannur

Mattannur: After decades of stagnation, Kannur Road in Mattannur town is finally seeing the light of renewal.

Long-standing hurdles to development have been cleared, with buildings that obstructed progress demolished and the stretch being transformed through the construction of a new footpath and the installation of streetlight poles. The renovated footpath and decorative street lighting will be inaugurated today at 6.30 PM by K K Shailaja MLA.

For years, visitors entering Mattannur from the Kannur side were met with broken drains opposite the police station, uneven slabs and a footpath that was virtually impassable. Development along the stretch had remained stalled due to a prolonged dispute between the Public Works Department (PWD) and building owners. Persistent intervention by Municipal Chairman N Shajith has helped resolve the deadlock finally, clearing the way for long-awaited redevelopment of the region.

With no proper drainage system here, rainwater flowed directly along the road during monsoons, making even pedestrian movement extremely difficult. A survey conducted by the Public Works Department found that a majority of the commercial buildings along Kannur Road were encroaching on PWD land, a claim that was strongly contested by building owners and traders.

The owners and merchants initiated legal proceedings against this finding, effectively bringing all development work in the area to a standstill for several years. Following multiple rounds of discussions led by the municipal chairman, traders and building owners were eventually persuaded to arrive at a mutually acceptable compromise. This resulted in the withdrawal of cases against the PWD, removing the long-standing hurdles to development.

Based on a memorandum submitted by the municipality to the PWD Minister through MLA Shailaja, the government sanctioned Rs.80 lakh for the project. Of this, Rs.60 lakh was allocated for civil works and Rs.20 lakh for electrical works. The project included the construction of covered drains and footpaths on both sides of Kannur Road, along with the installation of handrails and decorative lighting.

 The PWD had earlier completed the renovation works from Vayanthode, the gateway to Mattannur from the Kannur side and the present project is a continuation of this project. Meanwhile, the government has also approved a Rs. 80 lakh project for constructing drainage and footpaths along the Iritty Road on similar lines. Works under this project is expected to begin soon, the municipal chairman said.