Kochi: The Ernakulam District Collector on Tuesday took everyone by surprise and submitted before the Kerala High Court that almost 90 per cent of the road repair work has been completed in Kochi city. He went on to add that the remaining potholes would be filled soon.
M.G.Rajamanikyam, made the submission on a petition filed by Rangadasa Prabhu, president of the Ernakulam District Residents Association Apex Council (EDRAAC) seeking a directive to the Ernakulam District Collector to take steps to repair roads in the city. Pursuant to a court order to convene a meeting to address the issue, a meeting to anlayse the progress of road repair work by various authorities was held on September 18.
The corporation said work on filling potholes had almost been completed. Work at South ROB side road, K.P.Vallon road, Girinagar road, A.V. John Alunkal road, Puthiya road and Mamangalam-Pottakuzhi road would be completed within 10 days. According to the corporation, the remaining work would be completed within 30 days.
While the GCDA secretary reported that small and big potholes had been filled on the Kaloor- Kadavanthra road and that it was motorable now, the stretch was still full of potholes. The National Highway Authority of India reported that 93 per cent of the work on lying paver blocks at Vyttila and Palarivattom junction and Toll Plaza had been completed. The PWD reported to the collector that all the potholes had been filled from Manjummel junction to Edappally junction and the NH road was 100 per cent suitable for smooth traffic.
The Roads Division has informed that the rest of the work will be completed before October 5. In another affidavit, K.S.Baby Vinod, Asst Commissioner, City Traffic, submitted that to ease traffic congestion the authorities had decided to list out the unauthorised autorikshaw stands which blocked the free flow of traffic.
He added that a list of parking areas and non-parking areas was being readied with the assistance of the corporation. Proposals to install traffic signal systems at important junctions like Thevara, Thevara ferry junction, BOT east, BOT east and West, Palarivattom junction, Edappally Toll junction and Kalamassery Aryas junction, were given to the District Collector.
The traffic police also submitted that directions were given to DMRC to minimize the barricades’ width, where the construction of pillars had been completed which would ensure the width of the carriage way. The police registered 50,686 cases against private buses and other vehicles for various offences during the period from August 30 to September 24. The city traffic has recommended that the RTO take action against drivers who commit traffic offences. About 910 licences had been disqualified during the period from January 1 to August 31, the State said.
