Safety Concerns Grow Over Construction Flaws in Alappuzha Bypass Phase II

Alappuzha: Concerns are mounting over the construction flaws in the second phase of the Alappuzha Bypass, with residents alleging that retaining walls are being built without adhering to adequate safety standards.

According to local residents, sand is leaking through the elevated retaining walls, raising fears that the structure could lose strength over time. The affected stretches are considered vulnerable to accidents. The second phase of the bypass is being constructed alongside the elevated corridor built during the first phase.

The road is being constructed by stacking precast cement blocks and filling the space with sand and other materials. With heavy rains lashing the region, the alleged flaws in the retaining wall construction have become evident. Water, along with sand, has reportedly been flowing out through gaps between the cement blocks at several locations. Such sand erosion has been observed on the bypass near Poonkavu. The retaining wall at Kuthirappanthi has also raised safety concerns.

Residents fear that the second phase of the bypass could become an accident-prone stretch, especially at a time when large potholes have developed on several sections of recently constructed national highways.

Locals allege that the cement blocks along the sides have been stacked without being properly interconnected, increasing the risk of the retaining walls collapsing. The ongoing construction has left even heavy goods vehicles travelling on the bypass, which is elevated by up to 15 feet in some places, exposed to safety risks.

Another area of concern is a large depression near the beginning of the Kuthirappanthi overbridge, where the bypass splits into two above the Rani Canal, which forms the boundary between the Iravukad and Gurumandiram wards. Residents have protested the contractor's failure to address the issue, warning that motorists unfamiliar with the area could be at risk of accidents.