The Hindu : Highways dept. cell to prepare estimates for road repairs

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 17, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

Highways dept. cell to prepare estimates for road repairs

By T. Ramakrishnan

CHENNAI July 16. The Highways department has formed an exclusive cell to prepare estimates for repairs to those city roads, which have been earmarked for transfer from the Chennai Corporation's control to the department.

Half-a-dozen Assistant Engineers with one Assistant Executive Engineer are part of the cell, says an official.

Both the Highways department and the Corporation have initiated the process by holding discussion.

Among the roads identified for the transfer, as per the State Government's order, are Rajaji Salai, Kamarajar Salai, Santhome High Road, Nungambakkam High Road, Kodambakkam High Road, North Usman Road, Sardar Patel Road and Purasawakkam High Road.

It is expected that the transfer process will take some time for reaching its logical end.

More importantly, the funds will be the major factor in this process, the official says.

An outlay of Rs. 25 crores is set apart in the Corporation's budget of this year for maintenance and improvement of bus route roads and in the discussion, the Highways department hinted to the Corporation that it might require around Rs. 10 crores initially.

However, for the city residents, the roads should at least be made motorable.

They are aware of the procedures to be gone through to effect the transfer but, at the same time, are also particular that the authorities concerned should keep the interests of the public foremost rather than get engrossed in the details.

As the onset of monsoon is only three months away, the establishment should complete the transfer process at the earliest, only after which steps for repairs can be carried out.

Since tenders may have to be floated at least for certain stretches, a section of the residents have already started feeling that relief will not be available in the immediate future and that the city will have to experience the hardship of bumpy roads for another six months.

Whether the Government will take prompt and timely steps to spare the city residents such a scenario is the question that is uppermost on their minds.

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