The Kaloor-Kadavanthra Road owned and by the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) is among the worst maintained in Kochi. | Photo Credit: H. VIBHU
Many bridges and arterial and side roads in the city are ridden with potholes, even as the initial deadline issued by the High Court of Kerala to repair them expired on August 15.
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Innumerable other roads have undulations, caused due to the adoption of unscientific practices and improper usage of bitumen while doing patch work or resurfacing. Residents’ associations and NGOs have been lamenting the sad state of affairs, citing how little was done in order to ensure safe roads, despite rains taking a break for five days last week.
“It is sad that the Public Works Department [PWD], National Highways Authority of India [NHAI], Kochi Corporation, Greater Cochin Development Authority [GCDA], Goshree Islands Development Authority [GIDA], and local bodies, which have copious funds and are duty-bound to take steps to ensure safe roads and pedestrian infrastructure, need to be reminded frequently of their duties,” said D.G. Suresh, district secretary of Ernakulam District Residents’ Associations’ Apex Council (EDRAAC).
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“EDRAAC has been demanding almost every year that preventive maintenance works be done in summer months to avoid potholes developing on vulnerable roads during the monsoon. The government, which cites the need to reduce accidents, has been doing little to improve the condition of roads and allied infrastructure such as footpaths. It is sad that the District Collector, who ought to coordinate and ensure safe roads, has not proactively intervened, despite traffic snarls and accidents caused by potholes. A case in point is the arterial Kaloor-Kadavanthra Road maintained by the GCDA, which is full of undulations and potholes,” he said.
The PWD (NH wing) is facing the commuters’ ire for the shoddy upkeep of the 2-km-long Kundannoor-Thevara bridge that links the NH Bypass with Willingdon Island, despite it being used by passenger vehicles and goods carriers, including container-laden lorries. The condition of Alexander Parambithara bridge is no better. Allegation is rife that piecemeal works were done to fill a few potholes, leaving much of the two bridges in unsafe condition, causing accidents.
An official of the agency said the contractor who was awarded repair works was yet to complete them. “The Ernakulam-Muvattupuzha NH 85 corridor, which was taken over from us by the NHAI, too is in need of urgent upkeep. The agency has not done repair works, neither has it responded to our proposal that it remit funds with the PWD for us to execute repair works,” the official added.
Even as most potholes on the Edappally-Aroor NH Bypass maintained by the NHAI have been filled, they abound on service roads in the 16-km corridor. “Potholes develop often since the NHAI head office has not responded to estimates sent to build drains and to widen the tarred portion of service roads to enable two-lane traffic,” said official sources. The agency has not filled the 61 potholes on service roads which developed after the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) did trenching for laying cables.
Sources in the Kochi Corporation said the insistence on e-tendering was delaying the repair of potholed parts of the Thammanam-Pullepady Road and side roads.