Residents and commuters along the Killipalam-Attakkulangara Bypass in Thiruvananthapuram are facing mounting hardships as repeated pipeline bursts have disrupted daily life, with irregular water supply and major traffic snarls affecting the area. Over the past few months, this roughly 1.6-kilometre stretch has experienced three significant pipeline failures, each requiring the water mains to be dug up for temporary repairs, compounding inconvenience for the local community.
The recurring breaks have left households, especially in and around Chalai, grappling with unpredictable water availability. Many families are now forced to rely on stored water or private water tankers as they cope with sudden cutoffs in municipal supply. Locals highlight that there is often little advance notice before supply is shut off, making everyday tasks like cooking, bathing and cleaning difficult.
Commuters are also bearing the brunt of the situation. Each repair operation has involved traffic diversions and restricted lanes along the bypass, which has significantly slowed movement during peak hours. Buses, trucks and cars are funneled through narrow detours, leading to long delays, especially toward the city centre and East Fort. Residents say the congestion is worsening as heavy vehicles add to the bottleneck on the already constrained roadway.
Local voices have criticized authorities, including the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) and municipal representatives, for not addressing the root of the problem. Officials acknowledge that many of the water pipelines in this corridor are over 70 years old, making them prone to frequent failures that can no longer be fully resolved by patch repairs. They say minor fixes are all that can be done until the state government sanctions a major overhaul project to replace the aging infrastructure.
Meanwhile, frustrations among residents continue to grow as basic needs like dependable water supply and smooth traffic flow remain unresolved, underscoring the urgency for long-term infrastructure improvements in the heart of the city.
