Passengers scale makeshift ladders to access bus stops on six lane highway in Thrissur

Punnayurkulam: A hazardous practice has become the daily reality for people boarding and alighting buses between Periyambalam and Badr Mosque, where unfinished service road work has pushed buses onto the high-speed six-lane highway, forcing commuters to climb precarious makeshift ladders just to access bus stops. Though the dangerous situation has persisted for several months, authorities continue to look the other way.

Buses operating on this route are forced to use the highway as construction of the service road from Periyambalam in Punnayurkulam Panchayat to Badr Mosque in Punnayur Panchayat, near the district border, remains incomplete. Buses bound for Ponnani operate along the service road up to Periyambalam. From there, they merge onto the six lane highway and return to the service road only after crossing the Badr Mosque bridge.

For passengers, the ladders offer the easiest access to bus stops. Otherwise, they would have to walk considerable distances to either Periyambalam or Baderpalli. Along this stretch, three locations have relatively fixed ladders, while three others rely on temporary arrangements. At one point, passengers climb over a crude ramp made by stacking stones on top of one another to get on or off buses.

Climbing up to the highway using these ladders and descending back to the service road is extremely risky. It is a common sight to see children and other passengers navigating the ladders and even jumping across the road divider to reach the opposite side of the busy highway. In some places, the climb is as high as eight feet.

On Thursday, tragedy struck when a young man was killed after being hit by a jeep while crossing the road at Periyambalam. Bus drivers say they are compelled to use the highway because there is no alternative route. They point out that the problem could be resolved if the closed stretch of the service road is at least partially opened.