Every rainy season, this road in Vizhinjam transforms into stream

Vizhinjam: With the onset of the monsoon, the Thennoorkonam–Njaravila–Karayadivila road has once again been submerged, leaving commuters and local residents facing severe travel woes. Mounting public frustration has boiled over after more than a decade of enduring this recurring ordeal without a permanent solution. The relentless waterlogging has made the stretch virtually impassable, even on foot. While monsoon flooding is an annual nightmare here, locals allege that haphazard, unscientific interventions by authorities have only exacerbated the crisis.

In a botched attempt to drain runoff, a pit was dug right in the middle of the road. Not only did it fail to clear the water, but the iron grating installed over it has rusted away and is on the verge of collapse, turning the spot into an outright hazard. The situation was further compounded by the recent construction of a roadside compound wall; now, even a light drizzle leaves the road inundated.

This inundated stretch is the sole lifeline for over 25,000 residents. School buses navigate it daily with great difficulty, while children walking to school face a harrowing ordeal. For two-wheeler riders, it has become a treacherous death trap, especially at night, with non-functional streetlights plunging the flooded corridor into darkness. Every year, authorities promise swift action, yet nothing ever materialises on the ground. The stagnant water lingers for weeks after the rains subside, transforming the area into a breeding ground for mosquitoes and stoking fears of an epidemic. Despite repeated petitions, residents say their appeals have fallen on deaf ears.

Whenever public outrage peaks, token promises are routinely rolled out, only to evaporate into thin air. Demanding an end to such empty assurances, locals are now urging the administration to conduct a proper scientific assessment and implement an enduring solution.

Meanwhile, K H Sudheerkhan, Corporation Councillor, informed that the accumulated water is being pumped out of the road. "To address the issue once and for all, a scientifically engineered drainage project has been designed to channel runoff into the main road’s drain. It will be implemented at the earliest,” he said.