Villagers of Springlands have used mounds of stone and gravel to create a temporary passageway along the collapsed Upper San Fabien Road which caved-in following heavy rains last week.
However, they are renewing their call to Works Minister Rohan Sinanan to intervene now and assist the Couva/Talparo/Tabaquite Regional Corporation in building a retaining wall to prevent further slippage.
Since Friday, villagers have been unable to use the road. Many parked their cars and walked for some 1,000 metres down the bumpy hill to get to work.
Resident Sean Williams on Monday said over the weekend they gathered stones themselves and created a temporary passageway.
"At least our cars are passing but it is still dangerous and we want the Minister to do something," Williams said.
He added that the electricity pole along the roadway was also leaning precariously.
The erosion was highlighted by the T&T Guardian last month but since then more than three-quarters of the road has slipped into a precipice, preventing all vehicular access. Already, one house has been severely damaged by the erosion.
Villager Patricia Williams said more than 100 houses are now cut off. She said many residents lost two days of work last week after heavy rains caused the road to slip.
Another resident, Wendy Modeste, said she was worried about school children.
"The road is not safe. Children pass with a maxi taxi to get to school and that road could easily cause the maxi to tip over," Modeste said.
Marsha Daniel said under her home was also eroding because of the landslip. She said the situation was getting worse and their cries for help were falling on deaf ears.
Contacted yesterday, Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation chairman Henry Awong said he was aware of the problem.
"That is a big project. The councillor, Pooran Suresh Maharaj, will determine whether he prioritises that for his area depending on how much it is going to cost and how many people will benefit. I will continue to follow up and see how best we can get assistance for the people," he said in a telephone interview.
Awong said the road falls under the jurisdiction of the corporation.
"If extra funding is needed it will come from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development but we will appreciate if the Ministry of Works can lend some assistance as well," Awong said.
Meanwhile, residents of Tortuga also complained that a landslip was threatening five houses in the area. A landslip was also reported at Tin Pan Alley in Barrackpore. Already, one family has been evacuated due to safety concerns.