Kerala - Kochi   

Road repair wing mooted

KOCHI: The District Road Safety Council has finally sprung into action, taking many crucial decisions aimed at streamlining traffic and reducing road accidents in Ernakulam.

The council chaired by the District Collector, has mooted the setting up of a wing under the PWD (Roads and Bridges wing) to carry out repair works on roads, as soon as potholes develop. This wing would also step in whenever there is an impediment to the free movement of vehicles and pedestrians.

Apart from ensuring smooth traffic movement, the setting up of the road repair wing would go a long way in preventing accidents caused when vehicles fall into potholes or steer away to a side to avoid potholes, said District Collector M Beena. The proposal is to entrust a contractor with the job of resurfacing damaged stretches. He would have to ensure the upkeep of roads maintained by both the PWD and the Corporation of Cochin, by carrying out timely repairs.

The decision comes in the wake of the corporation’s long-pending proposal to constitute a mobile road repair unit becoming a non-starter. The corporation and the PWD did not take steps to repair many arterial and side roads, despite the deadline set by the Kerala High Court to repair them expiring on May 31.

The decisions taken at the district-level council meeting would be sent to the State Road-Safety Authority for concurrence. The State-level body has got funds collected from vehicle users as levy, cess, tax and fines. The other much-awaited decisions that were taken at the meeting include steps to repair electronic-traffic-signal systems in the city, most of which are in a dysfunctional state.

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