Karanthur: Six months after work officially began, the ₹2 crore renovation of the Karanthur–Parakkadavu road sanctioned under the previous state government’s budget remains virtually at square one.

The ambitious project was meant to deliver a comprehensive overhaul, including high-standard Bituminous Macadam and Bituminous Concrete resurfacing, maximum possible widening, modern road signage and markings, alongside the redevelopment of the Ettakkundu junction and bridge.

Progress, however, has been crawling. The renovation of the Ettakkundu bridge, initiated several months ago, was completed only last month. In the interim, commuters were left stranded when swelling waters from the Poonoor River inundated the stretch during heavy rains.

Even critical flood-mitigation work, such as elevating the low-lying section at Ettakkundu, has hit a dead end despite months having elapsed. Consequently, daily travel has turned into a nightmare for thousands of commuters who rely on this vital artery to reach the National Highway, Government Medical College, and Kozhikode city.

The poor condition of the corridor had previously forced a city-bound KSRTC bus to operate on a detour for months; normal service resumed only a couple of weeks ago. Now, locals dread that the crumbling road conditions will inevitably lead to the bus service being suspended once again.

Meanwhile, authorities have attributed the prolonged delay to technical hurdles, claiming that the voluntary surrender of private land required for widening the road has not yet come through.