Thiruvambadi: Despite being allocated a fund of ₹3 crore in the last state budget, the Poovaranthode-Chaliyar PWD road remains in ruins. The road connecting several farming families in the Nayadampoyil, Poovaranthode, and Medappara areas of Koodaranhi Panchayat has been neglected for ages.

Although the amount was sanctioned about five years ago, construction work continues to be delayed due to the authorities' incompetence, leaving the residents' ordeal unresolved.

The road, which looks as though a landslide had ploughed over it, is full of potholes, mud, and huge rocks piled up along it. As a result, driving on the path is impossible, and walking is difficult.

Due to the poor condition of the road, school students find it extremely difficult to cross the path, and taking patients to the hospital becomes a hellish ordeal. Additionally, since most residents here depend solely on agriculture, transporting their produce to markets is also significantly hindered.

A two-kilometre stretch of the road from Medappara to Chaliyar is the most severely damaged part. Since the road serves as an off-road track, tourists race through it using various vehicles, accelerating the damage.

Being a high-range road connecting the Kozhikode and Malappuram districts, it would benefit hundreds of farmers along the district border. It also connects the tourist destinations of Poovaranthode, Medappara, Udumbupara, Urumi, Nayadampoyil, and Kakkadampoyil. 

The area is often shrouded in mist and is always cold, making it a popular spot for tourism. Locals say that if the road is developed, it would be a significant boost in the tourism sector.