KOCHI: Conceding that the condition of the PWD roads in the district including the Vyttila-Petta road was deplorable, CPM Ernakulam district secretary P. Rajeev on Thursday said that the issue was brought to the attention of the PWD Minister Mr G. Sudhakaran during the day and he then intervened to sort it out. Without naming anyone, Mr Rajeev said that despite the issue being discussed at a meeting convened by the Minister recently in Kochi and the Minister sanctioning funds for the repair of the roads, the authorities had not initiated even the basic steps for the repair. Following this, the Minister’s intervention was necessitated on Thursday.
Mr Rajeev pointed out that Rs 1 crore had been sanctioned in Thrikkakara Assembly constituency for road repair while Rs 50 lakh was sanctioned for Ernakulam, Rs 1.5 crore for Tripunithura, Rs 2 crore for Piravom, Rs 1 crore for Kochi, Rds 2 crore for Angamaly, Rs 1.5 crore for Vypeen, Rs 1 crore for Aluva, Rs 1.5 crore for Kalamassery, Rs 2 crore for Paravoor, Rs 2.5 crore each for Perumbavoor, Moovattupuzha, Kunnathunadu and Kothamangalam for road repairs. He said that together this came to Rs 24 crore.
Mr Rajeev also said that Rs 1.87 crore had been granted for the upkeep of the Vyttila-Petta road under the Sabarimala scheme. He said that the authorities should make use of the funds and carry out the renovation immediately. He also deplored the Kochi Corporation’s upkeep of its roads in the city. Mr Rajeev said that the Corporation authorities were claiming credit for the road work done by KMRL and DMRC in the city. “There was no period during the reign of the Kochi Corporation when roads were in such a pathetic state and it should be reversed,” he added.
