Thiruvananthapuram: Public works department minister minister G. Sudhakran on Friday said one-time maintenance of roads in panchayats and municipalities had not taken place during the past three years due to lack of funds.
During the V.S. Achuthanandan government's tenure, Rs 4000 crore were released for repair of roads in panchayat and municipalities, Mr Sudhakaran said. The same practice was followed by Oommen Chandy government which granted Rs 3000 crore for maintenance works of roads coming under the local bodies, Mr Sudhakaran told a news channel. “But there has been no one time maintenance of roads in the past three years,” he said indirectly attacking the finance department headed by his rival within the party and finance minister Dr T M Thomas Isaac. The minister said despite fund crunch, the department has now set aside Rs 700 crore for urgent maintenance work of roads.
Mr Sudhakaran had the other day asked legislators to submit the list of roads falling within their respective Assembly segments that need urgent repair work. Priority would be given to roads that had been either completely or partially damaged in the recent devastating floods in the state.
The legislators have been asked use their discretion while finalising the roads that need urgent repairs.
The minister wrote a letter to all 140 legislators the other day to submit details of the roads. However, the maintenance work would be carried out only after the rains get over. “If road maintenance work is taken up during rains the entire money and effort will go waste. The work will be carried out once the rains subside,” he said.
The High Court had on Thursday initiated suo motu proceedings on the bad condition of city roads. The case was initiated on the basis of a letter written by Justice Devan Ramachandran to the chief justice on the requirement for action owing to the bad condition of roads.
