Finally, corporation finds an instant remedy for potholed roads
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KOZHIKODE: Corporation authorities are working on a plan to put an end to the dilapidated condition of major arterial roads that connect the main roads in the city. The corporation will opt for a running contract system to carry out immediate repair and patch up work of potholes on such arterial roads. As per the scheme, contractors will be responsible to carry out repairs whenever potholes form on these roads.
The civic body will prepare a list of major arterial roads in its limit and entrust the responsibility of the roads to a contractor to carry out the work exclusively. The decision was taken on the basis of a recent direction given by the ombudsman for local self-government bodies to take immediate steps to carry out repair works on dilapidated arterial roads. A decision to opt for running contract system was taken at a meeting of the Public Works Standing Committee held recently at the corporation.
At present, the civic body takes two to three months to float tenders after preparing estimates following field visit by the engineering staff. The situation of the road will be worse by the time the contractor begins the work. But the new system will reduce the delay and ensure repair of potholes as soon as it is formed. The contractor entrusted with the work will carry out repairs on the basis of information provided by councillors in the respective wards. The civic body had earmarked a sum of Rs 60 lakh for the construction of arterial roads to resolve the traffic congestion.
Elaborating the running contract system, an official with the corporation engineering section said the new move would reduce delays in carrying out repair and patch up works. "The existing procedure to repair potholes formed on roads is time consuming. The running contract system will reduce the delay and will enable carrying out immediate work on getting information from councillors. The civic body will entrust a contractor for a fixed period exclusively to repair the potholes in the major arterial roads that fall under the prepared list," said the official.
M Mohanan, Public Works standing committee chairman said the civic body felt the running contract system will be more effective. "The move will ensure that the roads are in good condition and will not create nightmarish experiences for commuters. I have instructed the engineering section to submit a list of major arterial roads that connects main roads passing through the corporation limit. The civic body will carry out the work either using its own fund or by means of maintenance grants. We will earmark a special allocation for the work in the budget from next year," said Mohanan.
