PANAJI: Public works department minister Ramkrishna ‘ Sudin ’ Dhavalikar on Monday said the work of laying new layer of asphalt on roads across the state will begin by November 15. As citizens are increasingly taking to social media to vent their anger over pothole-ridden roads in the state, Dhavalikar said roads being washed away is unavoidable as most talukas in the state have already received nearly 100 inch of rainfall this season.The minister said that they are now considering making the contractors, involved in constructing the roads that have been battered, forfeit their security and other deposits with the PWD.“In nearly 50% of the roads, the roads have not completed the maintenance period and there are potholes in them. The only thing we can do now is to seize the security and performance guarantee of the contractor. We will have to do it. Or else if there is an inquiry then our PWD engineers will be under fire,” Dhavalikar said.He said as Goa’s roads are asphalt ones the problem is more common, adding that the problem will not arise in the near future as concrete roads will eventually be opted for.“Other than two talukas, a rainfall of nearly 100 inch was recorded in all talukas and I am proud that Goa is receiving good rainfall. But this rainfall proves problematic for us in certain cases — our roads... In areas where there is incessant rainfall, the road is bound to be damaged,” Dhavalikar said,The minister said there is a maintenance period clause of three years for contractors, when it comes to road works. During this period, he said, the PWD cannot carry out the maintenance works.“So the same contractor who has carried out the work has to maintain the road during the period. Often it so happens that our engineers write letters to the contractors and two to three months are lost till the time this process is completed. And so PWD cannot get into repairs of new roads which are less than three years old,” Dhavalikar said.He said PWD is also helpless as road works have been carried out by other agencies, like the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation, which are also responsible for the maintenance.“We cannot maintain roads constructed by GSIDC. We cannot carry out work in areas like those under CCP. Chogm Road was dug by water resources department to lay pipelines to connect the Porvorim water treatment plant. This particular road was made by GSIDC, yet we stepped in and repaired it. I had given permission to fix it using concrete,” he said.