PWD and civic agencies fail to complete even patchworks

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) did some commendable work to resurface potholed arterial roads under their jurisdiction before expiry of the September 18 deadline set by District Collector S. Suhas, even as most other agencies failed to complete even patchworks, citing rain and heavy traffic as excuses.

The DMRC, which is responsible for the upkeep of roads on either side of Kochi metro corridor, resurfaced an approximately 300-metre-long carriageway at the Vyttila end of S.A. Road, despite heavy traffic and inclement weather. “The stretch that was accorded priority is very smooth now, due to ‘profile correction’ done by us. Two more layers will be applied over the surface — one coat of bituminous macadam and a final layer of bituminous concrete,” said a senior official of the metro agency.

“We are also restoring the stretch from Pettah to Champakkara, while the Manorama Junction-M.G. Road stretch will be relaid shortly.”

The NHAI too resurfaced either side of the U-turn at Chalikkavattom and most other damaged parts of the Edappally-Aroor NH bypass with the help of a mobile resurfacing work unit.

On the contrary, the PWD (NH wing) failed to comply with repeated warnings issued by the Collector and PWD Principal Secretary Kamala Vardhana Rao, to repair the pothole-ridden Vyttila and Kundannoor Junctions on NH bypass, where the agency is building flyovers.

A senior PWD official said that potholes at both the junctions would be repaired in another fortnight. “The southern side of both the junctions, including most parts of damaged service roads, have been restored by tarring and by using concrete paver blocks. The rest will be repaired using paver blocks. The focus will shift to the northern side of the junctions this week.”

Interestingly, the PWD has not completed work on a pair of slip roads on the Palarivattom side. Neither has it repaired/raised service roads on either side of Vyttila underpass.

“We would repair potholes on Kundannoor-Munnar NH from midnight of September 23. The KMRL (Kochi Metro Rail Limited) must repair the Pettah-S.N. Junction corridor, since land acquisition is under way to extend the metro,” officials said.

On its part, the PWD (Roads wing) is engaged in restoring the Thammanam-Ponnurunni road which was dug up by the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) for laying pipelines. “Repair work is under way in front of Government Ayurveda College on Ernakulam-Vaikom Road. The Vennala-Palachuvadu-Kakkanad road can be restored only after KSEB completes cable-laying works,” sources said.

The Kochi Corporation has not completed road restoration works, especially that were dug up by KWA earlier this year.

“We apprised engineers of how DMRC and NHAI did resurfacing works despite inclement weather. We have decided to do repairs during day-time. The Mayor spoke to the Collector and sought allocation of police personnel to divert traffic,” said P.M. Harris, Chairman of Works Standing Committee of the civic agency.

The GCDA had completed patchworks on Kaloor-Kadavanthra road, said its Chairman V. Salim.