Road Fund to seek Rs 2 crore from Kerala Water Authority for frequent repairs

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Road Fund Board’s decision to demand Rs 2 crore from the Kerala Water Authority for the road restoration work at several places in the city is likely to snowball into a major controversy.

Frequent pipe bursts at Pattom-Pottakuzhy-Murinjapalam-Kumarapuram and Museum-Sasthamangalam road stretches have forced the KRFB to take the extreme steps.

The KWA digs up city roads immediately after the KRFB resurfaced them. The most affected has been the stretch between Pattom – Pottakuzhy where there has been more than four pipe bursts within a few months.

With KRFB drawing flak from the pedestrians and the government alike, it has demanded Rs 2 crore from the KWA to repair the roads on two of the stretches in the city.

“There would be leakage underneath the roads which would not be seen on the surface as eventually it would be undulating. There is no option before the KRBB, but to demand Rs 2 crore from the KWA,” said a government official.

KWA managing director Ajit Patil told DC that there has not been any precedent before it to pay liability to the KRFB. The issue was already raised by PWD secretary A.P. M. Mohammed Hanish at the department-level meetings.

“When we do road restoration or leak maintenance, normally we don’t pay. But this issue has to be settled at the government level as a third party concessionaire is involved”, said Mr Patil.