Severe waterlogging on Santhummoola–Machel road in state capital leaves commuters stranded
Heavy rain caused severe flooding at Malayinkeezhu due to poor drainage. Following local protests, Ward Member S. Saleeja supervised makeshift diversion work, promising a permanent fix by raising the road and building drains.
Heavy rain caused severe flooding at Malayinkeezhu due to poor drainage. Following local protests, Ward Member S. Saleeja supervised makeshift diversion work, promising a permanent fix by raising the road and building drains.
Heavy rain caused severe flooding at Malayinkeezhu due to poor drainage. Following local protests, Ward Member S. Saleeja supervised makeshift diversion work, promising a permanent fix by raising the road and building drains.
Malayinkeezhu: Severe waterlogging near Santhummoola Junction on the Santhummoola–Machel road has thrown daily life out of gear. With the entire stretch submerged, residents have been left in distress as runoff spills into adjacent shops and residential courtyards.
Vehicle breakdowns have become a routine headache, with two-wheelers frequently stalling in the middle of the flooded road. Pedestrians are left with no choice but to wade through knee-deep water. Two days of unrelenting rain have compounded their misery, and commuters warn that navigating this stretch after dark has become an accident waiting to happen.
The water refuses to recede even hours after the rain stops. The lack of proper roadside drainage is the root cause; with no outlet for runoff on either side, even a passing shower turns the road into a virtual stream.
Fed up with the recurring ordeal, local residents and commuters recently voiced strong protests. In response, Ward Member S. Saleeja intervened yesterday and oversaw the digging of a makeshift channel to divert the water. While this has brought down the water levels marginally, locals maintain that it is merely a stopgap measure and demand a permanent fix.
"The government has sanctioned funds under the Sabarimala development package to renovate the Santhummoola–Machel road. As part of this project, immediate steps will be taken to raise the elevation of this low-lying stretch and construct proper stormwater drains," said Saleeja.