The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Opposition walked out of the Kerala Assembly on July 5 accusing the government of callously allowing roads in Kerala to fall into disrepair.
Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) legislator Najeeb Kanthapuram sought to put the treasury benches in the dock by serving notice for an adjournment debate on the inordinate delay in restoring roads dug up for laying sewer lines, potable water pipes, power cords and telephone cables.
He said potholes pockmarked most roads in the State. Cratered roads caused by decaying asphalt and lack of timely repair were a bane on the public and indicative of a State in decline.
Mr. Kanthapuram blamed official neglect, underfunding, shoddy interdepartmental coordination, bureaucratic apathy, red tape, and a lack of political will for the wretched condition of the State’s roads.
He noted that travelling on poor roads taxed citizens. It has caused fatal accidents, crippling injuries, prolapsed discs, punctured tyres, broken axles, traffic pile-ups and increased fuel usage.
With no relief in sight, citizens have taken to social media to vent their anger against the government. The Public Works department (PWD) has become the butt of memes and jokes, Mr. Kanthapuram said.
Govt owes contractors crores: Satheesan
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan said the government owed public works contractors crores for executed work. “Saddled by debt, none were willing to undertake new work or even participate in new tenders,” he said.
Mr. Satheesan said the government had systematically whittled down funding to local bodies, making it difficult for local bodies to maintain, build or resurface municipal, Corporation or panchayat roads. He said roadwork in Kerala was “one step forward and two steps back.”
“The KWA (Kerala Water Authority) or the KSEB (Kerala State Electricity Board) have no compunction in digging up newly surfaced roads to lay water, sewer or power lines the agencies could have done before tarmacking”, he said.
Mr. Satheesan said the government failed to hold contractors accountable for delayed public works. He said people needed clarity on when or who would dig up roads or restore them. “Many residents could not even step out of their houses. Senior citizens are the most hit. The government has left the public in the lurch”, he said.
Mr. Satheesan said many roads were ill-designed, resulting in accident black spots and waterlogging. They lacked signboards, guardrails or reflectors.
Riyas hits back
Public Works Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas, however, criticised the Opposition for blaming his department for the poor condition of roads.
He pointed out that the PWD had jurisdiction over “only 30,000 km of Kerala’s 3-lakh km of roads.” The PWD had installed a running contract system to ensure proper road maintenance and had modernised more than 50% of its roads.
The Minister also partly blamed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for not ensuring that residents had access to by-roads before resuming work on arterial stretches.
Speaker A.N. Shamseer rejected the Opposition’s notice.
Published - July 05, 2024 12:43 pm IST
