The works standing committee of the Kochi Corporation has reiterated its decision not to allow the trenching of city roads for the City Gas Project of the Adani Group at the road restoration rates prescribed by the Public Works Department (PWD).
The decision of the committee will come up for detailed discussion at the meeting of the Corporation Council to be held on Tuesday.
Though the issue came up during the previous council meeting, a few members demanded that it be postponed and discussed in detail.
“The works standing committee has also resolved to communicate its decisions to the council and to urge the civic body to write to the government about the possible pitfalls in the proposal,” said P.M. Harris, the chairman of the committee.
In the initial phase, a few city thoroughfares in the Vyttila region including Canal Road, South Chilavannoor Road, Pandarachira Road, K.P. Vallon Road, Anamthuruthi Road, Chakkalakkal Road, Lourde Church Road and Pandit Karuppan Road will have to be trenched for laying the gas pipelines. The initial cost for the cutting of roads will come up to ₹2.14 crore as prescribed by the PWD. If allowed, it will culminate in a loss of ₹29.82 lakh to the civic body, according to the agenda note.
When the city is be fully covered, at least 890 kilometres of road will have to be trenched, leading to mammoth financial loss to the Corporation. “Moreover, the restoration of roads cannot be effectively implemented with PWD rates,” said Mr. Harris.
Currently, the city roads are in good shape and its durability was increased by opting for expensive and improved road-laying measures. “The restoration of such roads are an expensive affair and is impossible at the rates prescribed by the PWD,” he said.
Mr. Harris added that some roads in the city outskirts that were restored after laying the gas pipelines were damaged in no time.
Such a situation could not be allowed in the city. “If the civic body permits the trenching and restoration of roads at lower rates, it will become a precedent and cables companies too will demand lower tariff,” he said.
