Palakkayam: The Irumbamutti causeway on the Tharuppappathi road that serves as a vital transit link connecting the Thachampara and Karimba grama panchayats becomes unusable when it rains, because the massive tree trunks and wild vegetation settled underneath the causeway block the river forcing it flow over it.

The severe obstruction to the water flow causes the causeway to submerge at the slightest hint of rain, bringing vehicular and pedestrian traffic to a standstill for hours. With disruptions becoming a routine affair, public demand for an immediate resolution is mounting.

Severe downpours had washed down large logs, tangled brushwood, and other storm debris, which are now trapped beneath the structure. Residents allege that despite long-standing appeals to clear the choke point, the authorities have turned a blind eye. With every subsequent spell of rain, the pile of debris continues to grow.

Locals point out that while the causeway previously went underwater only during prolonged, heavy downpours, it now overflows even after a brief shower. This leaves commuters stranded on either bank for long stretches. The stretch witnesses heavy daily traffic, and over a hundred families—including students and daily-wage earners—reside on the far side of the causeway. Each time the water level rises, it triggers panic among these families, frequently preventing children and workers from returning home safely on time.

While authorities had cleared accumulated timber and debris in previous years, no such efforts were undertaken this season, turning an existing inconvenience into a persistent ordeal. Furthermore, the blocked passage has redirected the raging floodwaters, triggering severe bank erosion and causing portions of private land along the riverbank to collapse into the water.