Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday rapped the State government over the large potholes which developed on the recently repaired Aluva-Perumbavoor State Highway.

“How can a road repaired one-month ago reach this plight?” Justice Devan Ramachandran asked while seeking a clarification from the District Collector and Vigilance on the matter.

The 17-km stretch in Kuttamasseri was repaired last month with the help of a special fund allotted by the Finance Department. 

The crumbled road is a regular scene of accident for pedestrians and motorists.

Recently, a 70-year-old man and his granddaughter narrowly escaped death after falling into a pothole here. 

The repair of the road was done soon after the High Court's intervention last month. The road has not been tarred for over 5 years.

The High Court had earlier observed that the state should let roads become 'killing fields'. The court also directed District Collectors to issue orders against the jurisdictional engineer or contractors or any other persons responsible for a road's poor maintenance.

The HC had in August also directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to take immediate steps to get every damaged roads under its control repaired in a week.