Pave Kerala: Safer Roads, Fewer Potholes

By: Janaki Prasad

It all started with a problem I was tired of ignoring: potholes. Everywhere I looked, they were there, turning regular roads into obstacle courses and making travel more difficult and dangerous. Potholes damage cars, lead to accidents, and create traffic issues. With heavy rains and crowded streets in Kerala, these potholes form quickly and keep coming back. No one seemed to be addressing the issue seriously, so I decided to try.

Understanding the Problem

The more I thought about it, the clearer it became that potholes weren’t just inconveniences. They impacted everyday life for so many people, from bikers like me to parents driving kids to school to emergency vehicles trying to reach someone in need. Potholes lead to accidents, delays, and expensive repairs. In fact, I found out that vehicle repairs due to pothole damage cost families a lot each year. There were even cases of injuries caused by drivers trying to dodge potholes, often swerving into other lanes or hitting the brakes too fast. It was frustrating to see how much this small problem impacted so many people, and I knew I wanted to create a solution. According to government data, potholes claimed, on average, 2,300 lives annually across the country during the five years from 2016 to 2020. The situation could only have worsened now because the pandemic has affected the repair and maintenance work on roads in the last two years. Increasing vehicular traffic and rains deteriorate the condition of roads. The patchwork done to fill the potholes does not last beyond the next shower and the potholes are soon ready for the next accident. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), about 5% of the deaths on roads are due to potholes or open manholes.

The Beginning of Pave Kerala

When I came across Smart$ucces from my school, I wasn’t initially focused on potholes. One lesson i understood after going through their course was that a business can realitsitcally be anything if there is a demand for it. I WANTED better and safer roads so I knew there was a need for it. So I applied to their compettion and won suprisingly. I got inspired to solve something that mattered to me and my community. With my encouragement, I applied for a grant to help fund my idea and started Pave Kerala, a project aimed at making reporting and addressing potholes easier.

Map:

Building a Community-Based Solution

I knew that just fixing potholes wouldn’t be enough. I needed a way to make the community part of the solution. That’s where the idea of a reporting app came in. My goal was to create a simple tool anyone could use to report potholes they encountered. Here’s how I planned it:

Reporting Made Easy: With the app, users would be able to open it, take a quick photo, tag the location, and submit the report. This would let us collect data on problem areas, so repairs could be focused where they were needed most.
Transparency and Updates: I wanted a section where users could check the status of reported potholes, so they’d know if their report was being acted on. This way, people would feel involved and see that their actions mattered.
Community Fundraising: The app would also let people contribute to specific repair projects, whether by donating or just spreading the word to get more support.

The app isn’t live yet, but I’m working with a developer and getting feedback from friends to make sure it’s easy to use and actually helpful.

After using the grant money to fund minor repairs in a few key spots, I saw the power of small wins in motivating the community. These initial repairs, though small, were visible reminders that change was possible. Now, I’m planning to expand these efforts by focusing on specific types of roads and neighborhoods where potholes are most common and impactful.

Focusing on Key Road Types

Main Roads: These are the high-traffic routes that connect major areas, such as those between local schools, hospitals, and public transportation hubs. For now, I want to focus on identifying and reporting potholes along these main roads, as they impact the highest number of people daily. The goal is to work with local officials to prioritize repairs for these routes first. Residential Streets: Many people shared their frustration with potholes in residential areas, where they’re harder to avoid and more likely to impact small vehicles, especially bikes and scooters. In these neighborhoods, I plan to organize “Pothole Patrols” which are small groups of residents who will help monitor and report issues. Potholes in school zones are especially risky. Parents and buses drop off kids every day, and the added congestion means that even small potholes can cause big problems. I plan to connect with local schools directly, starting with my shool in Kochi to encourage students and parents to join the reporting effort and work with city officials on targeted fixes in these zones

I want to make reporting potholes part of our school community by setting up regular check-ins with school officials and encouraging students to join Pave Kerala as part of their extracurricular activities.

Bringing People Together: Community Workshops

The grant money from Smart Success made a big difference. With these funds, I was able to organize workshops in local community centers and schools to explain what Pave Kerala was all about and how people could help. I made sure to keep the workshops simple and clear, focusing on why reporting potholes matters and showing a demo of the app.

The workshops were eye-opening. People shared their own experiences with potholes and were interested in learning how they could be part of the solution. I also introduced the idea of “Pothole Patrols” — a few volunteers who would help identify high-risk areas in need of immediate attention. These community members could then report these issues, encouraging others to do the same. We also discussed how even small efforts could improve safety on our roads, and it was motivating to see people get involved.

[Insert photo of a community workshop]

The First Steps: Repairs and Raising Awareness

With the initial funds, I was able to support minor repairs in a few of the worst-hit areas. These were small fixes, but they were visible and showed people that Pave Kerala could make a difference. Seeing even one repaired pothole encouraged people who had been skeptical at first. It proved that our efforts weren’t just ideas but real changes happening in our own neighborhoods.

Challenges and Looking Ahead

There’s still a lot to do. Building community involvement takes time, and the app is still in development. But these early experiences have taught me a lot about what it takes to create change. I plan to continue organizing workshops to spread awareness, and I hope to work with local officials to make larger-scale repairs possible.

By making Pave Kerala a community project, I want to keep showing people that our everyday actions can improve the places we live. With more support and awareness, I believe we can make Kerala’s roads safer for everyone.