Eco group moots new road to Pampa

Radhakrishnan Kuttoor
PATHANAMTHITTA,  
The Hindu, November 2, 2014 

The Pampa Parirkashana Samiti, an eco group based at Kozhencherry, has suggested a new road to Pampa to avert traffic congestion on the two main trunk roads to Sabarimala from Erumely and Pathanamthitta, especially during the pilgrim season.

The proposed 9.6-km road, from Pampa Valley to the Pampa parking ground of Sabarimala, connects Kisumom, Puthusserry, Attathode, Kollamoozhy, Ettappetty, Vayattukannippara, Amrithethumali, and Valiyanavattom, meandering through the banks of the Pampa.

PPS general secretary N.K. Sukumaran Nair said there need not be major felling of trees for the road to become a reality.

Mr. Nair said the Kerala Legislature Committee on Environment of 1998, chaired by A.V. Thamarakshan, too had recommended construction of this road. The committee had opined that the road would benefit Attathode, the largest tribal colony in Pathanamthitta district, besides reducing the distance between Erumeli and Pampa by about 13 km.

The road would enable diversion of vehicular traffic from Plappally on the Pathanamthitta- Pampa road as part of a one-way system to avert congestion during the pilgrim season.

The traffic from Pathanamthitta could be diverted from Plappally to the new road through a link road, he said.

“The traffic from Erumeli can also be diverted through the proposed road to the Pampa parking ground while the Chalakkayam road could be utilised for the return journey,” he said.

Mr. Nair said the jeep road between Pampa Valley and Nilackal via Attathodu could be developed to connect it with the Kollamoozhi- Plappally road to provide an alternative route to Pampa from Kottayam and Erumely.