The Hindu : 200 bridge projects in the pipeline

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 23, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

200 bridge projects in the pipeline

By Our Staff Reporter

KANNUR, FEB. 22. The Public Works Minister, M.K. Muneer, has said that the Public Works Department (PWD) is preparing project reports of 200 proposed bridges in the State as the Government is expected to secure Nabard aid to the tune of Rs. 100 crores for the projects in the pipeline.

"There should not be a situation where we will not be able to get Nabard loans because we do not have project reports,'' said Dr. Muneer while inaugurating the newly-constructed bridge that linked Thekkumbad island in Mattul panchayat to Ayiramthengukadavu in the mainland at a function, at Thekkumbad here today.

Nabard assistance to the tune of Rs. 70 crores could be availed of during the last fiscal year because the PWD was equipped with their project reports, he said.

Stating that development of roads and bridges as part of infrastructure building was vital for economic development, the Minister said the Government was committed to the Express Highway project.

Referring to the concerns raised by some quarters against the highway proposal, he said that no country that had developed express highways was known to have collapsed. "The Government will start the work on the Express Highway at any cost,'' the Minister said.

Dr. Muneer said there were scores of small islands like Thekkumbad isolated from the mainland and deprived of cultural links with other parts as well as chance for balanced development. The Government was taking special interest in constructing bridges in such areas, he said.

The Minister also said that efforts were under way to make the PWD a `zero pending bills' department by 2005. When the UDF Government had come to power, the PWD had the burden of pending bill arrears to the tune of Rs. 1,400 crores, including the arrears to be paid to contractors as well as Nabard. The arrears were affecting the ongoing developmentworks, he said adding that the arrears had now been reduced to nearly Rs. 500 crores.

"Once the target of making the PWD `zero pending bills' is achieved, estimate cost of projects can be reduced, and contractors will be more confident and co-operative,'' he said.

The Rs. 7-crore Mattul-Madakkara bridge project and the Rs. 3.5-crore Pulluppikkadavu bridge in the districts were also among the projects to be submitted for Nabard assistance, he said. Stressing the need for collective efforts of the people, regardless of their political affiliations, for ensuring the completion of the projects, Dr. Muneer said that often litigation on land acquisition for such developmental projects were delaying their works.

The Azhikode MLA, T.K. Balan, presided over the function. The district panchayat president, O.V. Narayanan, the Mattul panchayat president, K.V. Bushra Abdul Majeed, the PWD North Zone Superintending Engineer (R&B), K.T. Abdul Khader and the Executive Engineer (R&B), P.M. Muhammed Farooq, were among those present at the function.

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