The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Road repair works yet to begin

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 14, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

Road repair works yet to begin

Staff Reporter

Key arterial roads in the city continue to be unmotorable

Photo: H. Vibhu

ROAD OR DITCH? : A scene from the road connecting Vathuruthy with the Mattancherry BOT bridge. —

KOCHI: No Government agency has carried out road-repair works in the city and its suburbs, despite the promise that all the roads would be tidied up before Onam.

Despite potholes recurring on the same portions of vulnerable stretches each year, none of the agencies utilised the summer months to carry out road-reinforcement work. Neither were steps taken to ensure that rainwater seeped into the drains. Even the National Highways Authority of India did not carry out pre-monsoon repair works on the Aroor-Angamaly stretch of NH 47, considerably slowing down the movement of vehicles. This despite the State Government sanctioning Rs. 41 lakh to repair ill-maintained roads and bridges along the Vytilla-Aroor national highway.

Despite potholes developing on the roads each monsoon, no agency has set up a preventive-maintenance wing. Neither have steps been taken to ensure that the repairs carried out by contractors last till at least the guarantee period. Apart from the heavy rain, one reason for the low turnout for the Onam fairs and shopping has been attributed to the pitiable plight of a good share of arterial and side roads in Kochi city and its suburbs. They have also been causing accidents.

The Greater Cochin Development Authority has been unable to relay the Kaloor-Kadavanthra Road, a crucial arterial road that provides north-south connectivity. This despite the Kerala Water Authority handing over 50 per cent of the funds required to resurface the portion that it had dug up on the southern side for pipe-laying.

The northern portion of the road too is in bad condition.

The Authority, which did not relay the road in summer, is blaming the rains for the delay in kickstarting the work that has been estimated to cost Rs 2.5 crore.

Repairing the potholed Venduruthy bridge-Mattancherry BOT bridge stretch (part of the national highway) is caught in the war of words between the PWD and the Cochin Port Trust.

While the Trust is citing audit objections for its inability to repair the road, the PWD says that the stretch has not been officially handed over to it.

Each monsoon, hapless commuters are forced to endure the back-breaking ride through the road. Roads in West Kochi too are in bad shape.

The PWD (National Highway wing) is known for not repairing the Edapally-Vytilla stretch of the NH bypass during sunny days.

The works done during the rain do not last over a week. Very often, potholes are filled in a selective manner, leaving the rest to become deeper. Speeding motorists are caught unawares by the big potholes on the road and at Vytilla bridge.

Instead of cleaning clogged drains on vulnerable portions of the bypass, workers have been deployed to clean drains on just the western side of the road.

The PWD (Roads and Bridges wing) too did not carry out pre-monsoon repairs on the roads connecting Edapally with M G Road and further on, the road passing through Menaka.

This considerably slows down the flow of traffic in the city.

The Corporation of Cochin has not repaired many busy side roads in the city for many years.

Though the SA Road and Chitoor Road have been in bad shape for years, the agency has been unable to carry out repairs that last.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala