Pipe-laying work forces buses to change routes

KOCHI: With Kerala Water Authority (KWA) rigorously digging up every nook and cranny of the Vennala-Thammanam route as part of their pipe-laying extension plans, locals complained that the work is forcing private buses to cut services through the region on a daily basis.“Most of the buses have not been plying through this route for the past one week. There is a huge passenger population in the region who travel to Kakkanad and Tripunithura through the Vennala-Alanjodu area. According to the authorities, the work will take a month to finish, which means there will be interruptions in bus services until then,” said Swami P, a resident.As of now, the buses are forced to change routes almost every day due to digging work by KWA. “Most days, we would not know if buses would be plying through this route,” said Ratheesh S, a resident of Alanjodu.In addition, KWA’s disinterest in completing the work is leading to public ire. “After finishing the work, the KWA authorities fail to cover dug up areas completely. This has lead to bumpy roads. Due to lack of streetlights in the area, we tend to miss bumps and uneven patches on roads, ” said Manu, a bakery shop owner.However, the KWA officials said that the work is unavoidable and was planned so as to provide better water connectivity to the Vennala region which had been reeling under acute water shortage in the past. Assistant Chief Engineer Mathew Joseph said, “We realise the difficulty faced by the public but the work will continue for another thirty days. There is no other alternative,” he said.