KOCHI: With pressure mounting on the district administration, following the death of a 23-year old male biker at Padamugal on the potholed Palarivattom-Kakkanad Civil Line Road the other day, District Collector K Mohammed Y Safirulla has decided to get tough with the Public Works Department authorities and the other officers concerned.
According to the Collector, if any mishaps occur due to the poor condition of roads, legal action will be initiated against the Assistant Engineers, contractors and other officers. Safirulla issued the order based on the disaster management rules.
“The terrible condition of the roads is chiefly to blame for the accidents. It can’t be tolerated. If accidents are indeed occurring due to poor condition of roads, the engineers, contractors and the officers will be held to account,” Safirulla told the high-powered meeting attended by Corporation authorities, PWD and local body officers at the civil station on Monday.
“The contractors are responsible for building quality roads. If any damages occur to the roads- during the defect liability period- the assistant engineers and the contractors have to own up responsibility. If we come across any bad roads, the district administration will blacklist the contractor. Also, the arrears to the particular contractor will be withheld,” the Collector said. Furthermore, the roadworks will be brought under social audit and local bodies in the district were directed to publish the progress of roadworks on the district administration’s website- htthps://ernakulam.gov.in.
“I saw some urgent repair works being carried during the visit by VVIPs. But most of the repair works carried out during these periods does not last long. A few months ago repair works had been undertaken at the Jose Junction, but it got damaged within a short span of time. These sort of things should not happen,” he said.
Meanwhile, the engineers present at the meeting had a different take on the issue. “ Even after finishing the road repairs, the PWD gave permission to dig up the road. It resulted in the stretch becoming potholed,” they said.
According to the PWD Executive Engineer, insufficient number of workers led to the delay in carrying out road repairs. The officer also submitted reports of roads where the repairs are underway. Disaster Management Deputy Collector P D Sheela Devi and Sub-Collector Snehil Kumar were present.