Edathua: A recently completed concrete road in Muttar panchayat has caved in within months of construction, collapsing into a nearby canal and snapping connectivity in the area.

The damaged stretch, located between Chethikkad Padi and Joy Karayidathu Padi, was constructed only a few months ago and leads to the western side of Kaithathodu bridge in Ward 10 of the panchayat. The collapse, in which nearly 150 metres of the road has given way, has brought traffic movement to a complete standstill.

According to local residents, a decades-old retaining wall that existed along the stretch had already deteriorated and an estimate was prepared for its reconstruction. With the onset of the monsoon, waterlogging in nearby plots and the absence of a retaining structure are believed to have triggered the collapse.

Locals say the stretch can be restored only after constructing a proper retaining wall, filling it with soil and relaying the concrete surface. Until then, residents are forced to take a narrow detour through nearby properties on foot to reach the other side.