Road repair abandoned midway in Kannur, accidents become frequent on half-paved stretch

Kannapuram: Resurfacing work on a one-kilometre stretch near the Kannapuram Railway Station has been abandoned midway after paving only half the road’s width. The contractor walked off the site a month ago, leaving the road in a hazardous condition.

With vehicles from both directions squeezing onto the newly paved lane to avoid the rough surface, accidents have become a daily occurrence. Just two days ago, a trailer truck transporting vehicles collided with a private bus near the railway station. Two-wheelers are the worst affected, frequently skidding and crashing. 

Locals complain that motorists bound for the unpaved side routinely cut across into the smooth, newly tarred half, leading to head-on collisions and chaos. The entire stretch from Pappinisseri to Kannapuram is already riddled with deep potholes due to prolonged neglect.

While officials claim that work will resume as soon as the monsoon eases, residents point out that the work remained stalled even during extended dry spells.

The road upgrade, which kicked off in January, has been plagued by repeated delays, ostensibly due to a shortage of paving materials. The previous government had sanctioned ₹18 crore for the comprehensive overhaul of the 21-kilometre corridor. While the section from Pilathara to Pazhayangadi was successfully completed, work ground to a halt right here in Kannapuram.