On December 5, a reinforced soil wall on the under-construction NH 66 at Mylakkadu near Kollam suddenly collapsed during routine traffic. Veterinary doctor R. Resmi, driving on the service road, felt a sharp jolt and saw the road crack open, forcing her to flee her vehicle as the wall and embankment crumbled. An autorickshaw driver shouted warnings and a school bus nearby was quickly evacuated by its staff and residents. Four vehicles were trapped, but thankfully no one was hurt. The collapse began with a small hole in the reinforced soil wall which rapidly expanded into a huge crater. The supporting culvert collapsed, flooding the road after a pipe burst, and power was shut off promptly. Resident Sreejith S. described the scene as dangerous and said the failure could have been a major tragedy if the entire wall had toppled. Engineering assessments revealed that the collapse was caused by an inadequate foundation. The soil under the embankment is marshy and weak, unable to bear the heavy load. Experts like Kottiyam Ajithkumar and geotechnical consultant Jayakrishnan Menon criticized the construction for ignoring soil testing and strengthening. Jayakrishnan said "The Mylakkadu fill imposed a load far exceeding the weak subsoil’s shear strength." The ₹1,385-crore NH 66 upgrade project involves widening the road from two to six lanes, building flyovers, bridges, and culverts, requiring massive earthwork and reinforced walls. Kollam MP N.K. Premachandran demanded stopping the unscientific RS wall construction and replacing them with pillar-supported elevated highways. In response, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) suspended the project concessionaire M/s Shivalaya and the Independent Engineer from future bidding. They issued show-cause notices and mobilised 18 geotechnical agencies to inspect 378 reinforced soil wall sites along NH 66 in Kerala. Meanwhile, Kottiyam Merchants’ Association plans protests over the hazards caused by the damage, noting the high traffic zone with schools and hospitals nearby. They demanded replacing the unstable wall with safer structures. The incident also raised concerns in Thrissur’s Amballur area, where an underpass built on a large soil fill over wetlands shows poor drainage and flood risks. Local activists call for urgent scientific studies and safer designs to avoid similar dangers. This collapse adds to a series of road failures in Kerala, highlighting the dangers of ignoring proper soil studies and structural safety in infrastructure projects.