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The saga of laying new roads in Kerala is an exceptional and long drawn one that would leave you gasping for breath!

 Just before the onset the monsoons, the administrative machinery springs up into action and loads of gravel and barrels of mortar would be unloaded right into the middle of the road. Men and machines reach the spot in no time to begin yet another spell of road laying, which remains nothing but an eyewash many a time.
The potholed road will be swept thoroughly to kick up dust, which would force the shop keepers to down their shutters and pedestrians to scurry for cover to escape the dust shower. Then gravel would be spread in the potholes and a thin spread of mortar is sprinkled to keep them in place. The contractor through his gestures instructs the workers to somehow finish off the work, without bothering about perfection. The left over gravel and barrels of sticky mortar on the middle of the road would remain as eyesores and obstacles for many more days, till some Good Samaritan takes the lead to shove them off to the sides of the pavement.

By the end of the monsoon and the rain fury, the roads would be back to square one with gaping holes and deep fissures all over, which would make driving an arduous task. Nothing happens till the protests from the public and the media reach a crescendo, which wakes up the administrative units from their slumber once again.  Loads of red soil would be put in these holes as a face saving and hole filling measure and to buy time till the rains stop.

Pedestrians would slip and slide on the slippery road as two wheelers continue to splatter muddy water on the hapless road users. Road side vendors and shops would invent innovative methods like placing huge boulders as speed breakers to save themselves from the daily mud splashing ritual.  If you thought that this ordeal would end once the rains stop, you are only making a blind bet!

As the sun starts shining again, mud gets transformed into fine red dust, which would be sprinkled and speckled all over by the speeding vehicles. Kochi would once again look like the red planet Mars, famous for its red soil, and its ill fated residents resemble the aliens with red hair and dust splattered attire. This vicious cycle continues once again with no respite in sight for the ordinary tax payers of this city.