With roadside thickets, electric poles in the middle; historic Athani-Elavoor route is now unsafe
The historic Athani–Elavoor road poses severe safety hazards due to unshifted electric poles obstructing traffic and dense roadside overgrowth, prompting local officials to demand urgent intervention from the Public Works Department.
The historic Athani–Elavoor road poses severe safety hazards due to unshifted electric poles obstructing traffic and dense roadside overgrowth, prompting local officials to demand urgent intervention from the Public Works Department.
The historic Athani–Elavoor road poses severe safety hazards due to unshifted electric poles obstructing traffic and dense roadside overgrowth, prompting local officials to demand urgent intervention from the Public Works Department.
Nedumbassery: Electric utility poles obstructing the carriageway and uncontrolled roadside overgrowth have rendered the historic Athani–Elavoor road a major safety hazard for commuters and local residents.
Branching off the National Highway at Athani, the seven-kilometre stretch passes through Mekkad, Vattaparambu, and Kunnappillissery before terminating at Elavoor. Prior to the construction of the current highway network, this corridor served as a vital transit link connecting the erstwhile princely states of Travancore and Cochin. While its traffic share declined over the decades, escalating congestion on main roads has once again turned this route into a crucial artery for commuters traveling from Athani toward various parts of Thrissur district. It also serves as the primary diversion route whenever traffic restrictions are imposed for highway repairs.
Despite its strategic importance, the road suffers from persistent neglect by the Public Works Department (PWD). While the department recently cleared encroachments and widened certain sections, the benefits of the expansion have been largely undermined by electric poles left stranded directly in the path of vehicular traffic.
Along the Mekkad–Karakkattukunnu stretch alone, roughly ten utility poles remain positioned within the newly surfaced roadway. With the widened road encouraging higher vehicular speeds, motorists frequently encounter these obstructions abruptly, resulting in recurrent accidents. Although local residents and the Rajapatha Development Action Council had urged authorities to shift the poles to the road shoulders during the initial construction phase, neither the PWD nor the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) took action.
The situation is further exacerbated near Karakkattukunnu, where dense wild vegetation has overtaken the widened road shoulders. The untamed brush has become a breeding ground for snakes and other reptiles, forcing early morning and evening pedestrians to carry sticks for safety. Additionally, the overgrowth has turned the verges into an unsupervised site for illegal waste dumping.
Addressing the issue, Nedumbassery Grama Panchayat member Eijo Varghese has submitted a formal representation to the PWD, demanding the immediate relocation of the hazardous electric poles toward the roadside drains and the clearing of the overgrown vegetation.