KOCHI: It’s a story that Kochiites have heard many a time. When the elections are on, there is action at every street-corner. Projects languishing in slumber are suddenly jolted into life. Street lights are fixed, dilapidated roads widened and potholes filled. All is well. But alas, no city can remain in election mode forever. ‘Grave reality’ is back again. It is the first rains of the season and within a matter of days brand new roads are all but a dilapidated display.So this is exactly how the story of the Kaniyampuzha Road goes. The road runs beside the much-hyped Vytilla Mobility Hub. In fact, it is this road by which buses are to enter into the mobility hub. But in less than four months of it being widened and renovated, the road is now a curse for the residents. “When the rains arrived, our houses were flooded as the roads were not laid with proper drains. Water gushed right into our compounds. Besides, much of this area was low-lying and once the roads got raised, the course of the rain water was disturbed,” said Behanan, President of the Mobility Hub Neighbours’ Association. This was not the end of problems. Once the rains came in along with the floods, the authorities took immediate action. A JCB was rushed to the place to drain away water in the least possible time. The JCB certainly did its work, but in course of time, it created more problems. “The area through which the JCB ran is full of potholes. So now we need to re-tar the whole area,” said Animon Chanayil, construction worker at the site.When inquired about the ongoing commotion, site supervisor Sudeer explained, “We were asked to make the drains before the inauguration. But they said the drains can be made later, that the roads must be laid first, which was obeyed. This was the reason for the whole mess out here. And anyhow, we are now re-constructing the road at our own expense. Moreover, we have not given the completion certificate as of now.”But the local residents and ‘neighbours’ of the hub here are not satisfied with these explanations. “What were they doing all this while? The inauguration was done in the beginning of March. Did they have to wait for the rains to build the drains?” asks Behanan.He said his house had been flooded for two weeks. He has spent Rs 12,000 for pumping out water and fixing up the mess in his house. But now his compound is damaged from the drain construction.
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