Civic agencies, Public Works department (PWD) and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) have a gargantuan task ahead of them as the clamour grows to install slabs and barricades on drains and canals that pose a risk to pedestrians and motorists, following the incident at Panampilly Nagar where a child fell into an uncovered canal.
The Ernakulam District Residents’ Association Apex Council (EDRAAC), apex bodies of residents’ associations in the suburbs, and merchant associations are demanding accountability on the part of councillors, engineers, and overseers concerned, since missing or broken slabs and those that protrude above the mean level abound in the city, endangering the lives of pedestrians. Inadequate or missing reflectors and street lights make matters worse.
Thursday’s incident was an eye-opener, with stakeholders thinking of ways to mobilise funds to either cover vulnerable drains and canals with slabs or to erect barricades around them. They are also probing the possibility of sourcing road safety funds from agencies such as Kerala Road Safety Authority (KRSA), it is learnt.
However, official sources said the possibility of allocating road safety funds for such works was remote, since the road owning agency concerned ought to ensure the safety of pedestrians and motorists, as per norms. “The authority will run short of funds if it were to allocate funds across the State for such works. Moreover, any decision in this regard will have to be taken by heads of the authority, including Ministers for Public Works and Transport, at meetings held every six months. For this, the District Collector concerned must submit an estimate of the proposed works, for being placed in the meeting’s agenda.”
They also cited how the PWD Manual fixed responsibility on the executive engineer concerned, who, referred to as the ‘competent authority’, and the assistant engineer concerned as the ‘custodian’ of roads, footpaths, drains, medians and allied infrastructure under their jurisdiction. “They are duty-bound to ensure that the infrastructure adheres to norms. On their part, overseers must inspect road infrastructure within their jurisdiction every day and report problems related to them to their higher-ups. These officials are jointly responsible for taking steps to ensure safe and smooth navigation.”
Citing how the civic agency was encountering acute shortage of funds, sources in the agency said the State government owed it over ₹180 crore by way of reimbursement for pension expenses and for the civic body’s share of GST. “We are still hopeful of garnering funds, while instructions have been issued to zonal offices to ready estimate to mend open drains and canals that need urgent attention.”
The agency is also banking on the proposal of Cochin Smart Mission Limited to ready a system for mechanised cleaning of drains, to avoid frequent dislodging of slabs, it is learnt.
