Crack on first concrete road of Kerala also; damage to road that was planned to be used to move containers from Vizhinjam port

VIZHINJAM: Cracks were found in many places on the first concrete road to be completed in Kerala. This is the concrete road on the Kazhakoottam-Karod bypass. Repairs have begun. The concrete in the cracked parts has been cut and removed. Re-concrete work is in progress.

Locals say that the reason for the road cracking before the inauguration is unscientific construction. There is a concrete road from Payrummoodu Junction to Karode. It was opened for traffic in 2023. After the concrete road was opened for traffic, many accidents started happening in this section. The police had declared it a 'black spot' and put up a warning board.

It is reported that iron rods were not used to reinforce the concrete in any of the cracked areas. Iron rods were used only in the area where each concrete block was connected to the other. The road was built by stacking concrete blocks on the sides at a height of more than 40 feet and filling them with soil. A year ago, the blocks in many parts shifted and soil fell onto the service road. Rubber sheets were inserted to prevent the soil from coming out. The blocks are reinforced with iron nuts and bolts. Steps are underway to move containers from Vizhinjam port to Tamil Nadu via this road from the end of this year. At this stage, there are concerns about the safety of the road.