Paravur: The Ollal bypass has turned into a bone-rattling nightmare for commuters. The Samajam–Ollal bypass stretch, which had deteriorated badly before, was completely resurfaced just a year and a half ago. However, barely had the asphalt cooled when the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) began tearing up the road to lay underground cables, plunging it right back into disrepair.

The trenches dug across the freshly laid road were haphazardly patched with concrete once the cables were in place. Over time, these crude fillings gave way, leaving behind massive, gaping potholes.

Commuting has become an ordeal as the Samajam–Munnazhimukku stretch—the entry point to the Ollal bypass - is now completely devastated. When it rains, poor drainage turns the road into waterlogged pools, virtually cutting off safe passage.

Near the junction where the Samajam–Ollal road meets the Ollal Temple Road, a dangerous crater has formed, posing a severe threat to two-wheeler riders, especially at night. In a bizarre display of shoddy civil work, while the tarred Ollal bypass was ruined by slapdash concrete patching, the bypass leading to the Paravur–Chathannoor road saw concrete surfaces clumsily filled with tar. Utter disregard for engineering standards when repairing roads cut open for utility works continues to make life miserable for motorists.

To compound the chaos, traffic along the bypass has surged because the Ollal railway level-crossing is closed for maintenance. Exasperated residents are demanding that the local ward councillors and the municipality step in immediately to resolve the crisis.