Culvert project in Pathanamthitta's Ottiyakuzhi remains stalled amid increased risks for motorists
Culvert construction stalled in Ottiyakuzhi, leaving locals concerned about safety following an embankment collapse. A 'Road in dangerous condition' sign offers little reassurance.
Culvert construction stalled in Ottiyakuzhi, leaving locals concerned about safety following an embankment collapse. A 'Road in dangerous condition' sign offers little reassurance.
Culvert construction stalled in Ottiyakuzhi, leaving locals concerned about safety following an embankment collapse. A 'Road in dangerous condition' sign offers little reassurance.
Kunnamthanam: The construction of a new culvert in Ottiyakuzhi, intended to replace the collapsed one in the panchayat, stalled almost immediately after it began.
Though the construction was formally inaugurated on October 27, 2025, actual work only proceeded for a few days. The culvert construction had commenced adjacent to the old, dilapidated structure. Meanwhile, heavy rains caused a section of the road's embankment to collapse. Black stones were then dumped there to mitigate the immediate danger. However, locals complain that no further work has been carried out since.
A small, flimsy fence was also erected in the area where the stones were placed. If vehicles coming from Nadakkal and Elias Kavala lose control, they could easily break through this fence and plunge into the Ottiyakuzhi stream.
The sharp bend and steep slope in this section of the road further exacerbate the risk of accidents. With no safety provisions where the road meets the embankment, vehicles are highly susceptible to mishaps.
The authorities' idea of ensuring motorists' safety was to install a sign board a month ago, which read, "Road in dangerous condition" instead of rebuilding the culvert and adjacent path. Ironically, even this warning board itself is on the verge of collapsing at any moment.
The board currently placed on the roadside reads: "Road in dangerous condition, vehicles proceed with caution." For the reconstruction of the culvert, 50 lakh rupees worth of work had been sanctioned under the MLA's Asset Development Scheme for the 2024-25 fiscal year.Kunnamthanam: The construction of a new culvert in Ottiyakuzhi, intended to replace the collapsed one in the panchayat, stalled almost immediately after it began.
Though the construction was formally inaugurated on October 27, 2025, actual work only proceeded for a few days. The culvert construction had commenced adjacent to the old, dilapidated structure. Meanwhile, heavy rains caused a section of the road's embankment to collapse. Black stones were then dumped there to mitigate the immediate danger. However, locals complain that no further work has been carried out since.
A small, flimsy fence was also erected in the area where the stones were placed. If vehicles coming from Nadakkal and Elias Kavala lose control, they could easily break through this fence and plunge into the Ottiyakuzhi stream.
The sharp bend and steep slope in this section of the road further exacerbate the risk of accidents. With no safety provisions where the road meets the embankment, vehicles are highly susceptible to mishaps.
The authorities' idea of ensuring motorists' safety was to install a sign board a month ago, which read, "Road in dangerous condition" instead of rebuilding the culvert and adjacent path. Ironically, even this warning board itself is on the verge of collapsing at any moment.
The board currently placed on the roadside reads: "Road in dangerous condition, vehicles proceed with caution." For the reconstruction of the culvert, 50 lakh rupees worth of work had been sanctioned under the MLA's Asset Development Scheme for the 2024-25 fiscal year.