Road repair: Demolition of median in Kottayam halted to avoid culvert collapse

Kottayam: The Public Works Department (PWD) has halted work to demolish the median on a culvert after a 20-centimeter tilt was discovered. The stopped demolition was on the first culvert on the road leading north from Kollam towards Manipuzha Junction on MC Road. This section of the median was originally intended to ease congestion on the culvert, prevent accidents, and widen the road. The plan was to carry out tarring simultaneously.

It was during this process that the tilt was identified, leading to the immediate cessation of work. However, 5 centimeters of the median currently remain elevated from the road level. Locals report that this poses an accident risk for vehicles traveling at speed. Given the discovery of the 20-centimeter tilt, a comprehensive study is now essential. The area where the culvert is situated is marshy. A new approach is required for removing the remaining portion of the median, as it is feared that demolishing it in the current manner would compromise the culvert's structural integrity.

Water Authority pipelines also run along the side of the culvert. Alignment works for the Manipuzha-Kakkoor road are scheduled to begin soon. As part of this, the Manipuzha culvert will undergo a structural integrity test and a soil test. The PWD announced that a decision on renovating the culvert would be made after these tests and subsequent discussions with experts. A team of experts designated for this area has also identified a slight tilt in a section of the culvert; the PWD stated that this too should be thoroughly investigated. The PWD further informed that tarring would be completed at the median demolition site to ensure smooth traffic flow.