Dragging Kerala Water Authority work has road in shambles

Thiruvananthapuram: Even after remaining crater-filled for years, there seems to be no chance of redemption for the Ambalamukku-Muttada road. The reason is the incomplete work being undertaken by the Kerala Water Authority (KWA). A minor leak was reported at Vayalikkada on Monday and a burst was reported at Ambalamukku this year. The stretch which has been notorious for pipe bursts is avoided by motorists despite being a shortcut for people in the region to Medical College and Nalanchira.

“We have been replacing the problematic primo pipes with GI pipes. Also, 200 mm pipelines were being given out from the main pipeline to both sides of Vayalikkada road. This is to ensure that there is no digging for taking future connections:” said a KWA official from Projects division.

The work becomes tiresome as it involves connecting existing household connections to the new pipeline. The old burst-prone pipeline will be disconnected only after this. The burst-prone pipeline on Vayalikkada-Muttada-Paruthipara road has led to vigilance probes as the primo pipes were laid just one foot from the ground by certain Kerala Water Authority officials. “The tarring on Peroorkada-Shasthamangalam road will begin soon but the road work at Ambalamukku- Muttada road will be a pipe dream at the moment,” said a senior PWD official.