As road repair work lags, public ire mounts against PWD, Kochi Corporation

Potholes on roads and bridges causing accidents and traffic snarls in Kochi city

Public ire is mounting against the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Kochi Corporation since a number of roads and bridges the agencies own are in dilapidated condition. The inordinate delay in repairing them has in turn made potholes and undulations bigger, causing accidents and traffic snarls in the city. While the agencies have been resorting to excuses such as high water table and trenching for potholes developing on roads, they are unable to cite any excuse for potholes developing on bridges like the 2-km-long Kundannoor-Thevara Bridge (also called UP Bridge) within two months of it being resurfaced. The resurfacing was done after a two-wheeler rider lost his life in a pothole-related accident. The claim by a senior official of the PWD (NH wing) that potholes on the bridge were repaired a few days ago turned out to be false, as plenty of potholes could be seen on Saturday.