Freshly concreted road ruined hours after completion in Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvanathapuram: In an apparent act of sabotage, a freshly concreted road built using panchayat funds was ruined within hours after miscreants drove vehicles over the wet surface. The incident occurred on the Manikalam–Mundanchira stretch, which falls under the ward represented by Kuttichal Panchayat President Radha Jayan.

A 48-metre stretch of the road had initially been concreted recently. However, on the night the work was completed and the workers had left, unidentified individuals poured water over the fresh mix, washing away the cement mortar. Soon after, a group of locals approached the panchayat, alleging substandard work. They pointed out that the aggregate gravel was visible due to a lack of cement, despite the work being supervised by officials, and demanded that the stretch be repaved.

Acceding to their demand, the stretch was re-concreted on Tuesday. Officials and the contractor wrapped up the work and left the site by 5 pm. But shortly after their departure, well before the concrete had time to cure, several cars and motorcycles were deliberately driven over the cordoned-off road, tearing up the fresh surface.

Radha Jayan said this was a deliberate and calculated act of mischief. The Panchayat Secretary has lodged a formal complaint at the Neyyar Dam police station regarding the destruction of public property and the unauthorized driving of vehicles on a closed road.