The Hindu : Kerala News : Assembly constituencies to get Rs.1 crore each for road repair

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Friday, Aug 17, 2007
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Kerala

Assembly constituencies to get Rs.1 crore each for road repair

Staff Reporter

Potholes to be filled in the first phase of repair

2,000 kilometres of road to be renovated every year
PWD plans new system of road construction, says Minister

KOCHI: Public Works Minister T.U. Kuruvilla has said that the Government will sanction Rs.1 crore each for road repair work in all the Assembly constituencies in the State.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, he said that Rs.10,000 each would be handed over to assistant executive engineers, as an emergency fund for carrying out urgent repair.

Mr. Kuruvilla said that potholes were being filled in the first phase of the repair work. The Public Works Department planned to introduce a new system of road construction aimed at checking frequent repair, he said.

The Minister said that lack of funds was a major reason for not completing the repair of damaged roads. The Government would try to fill the resource gap by taking loans, he said.

Mr. Kuruvilla said that repair work of roads would be carried out in a time-bound manner. About 2,000 kilometres of road would be renovated every year. Work on the total 14,000 kilometres of road under the department would be over within five years, he said.

Referring to the delay in payment of arrears to Government contractors, the Minister alleged that the previous UDF Government was responsible for the huge arrears. The LDF Government had paid Rs.233 crore to the contractors after it came to power, he said.

Mr. Kuruvilla said that discussions with PATI-BEL of Malaysia for improvement of MC Road were in the final stage.

He said that the department was keen to go ahead with the high speed road project. Width of the proposed road would be less compared to the 100 metres suggested for the express highway recommended during the UDF regime, he said.

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