Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has set December 31, 2020 as the deadline for the climate-resilient roads being constructed under the Rebuild Kerala Initiative (RKI) and May 2020 for completion of the repair of roads damaged in the floods.
Reviewing the work on 295 km of roads under the Public Works Department and 602 km of roads under the Local Self-Government Department (LSGD) being taken up under the RKI, the Chief Minister urged the officials to work out the schedule taking into account the monsoon and begin the work after the rain.
World Bank-funded
The meeting reviewed the progress of the work in each district for the World Bank-funded construction of 31 roads at ₹300 crore. Mr. Vijayan said if needed funds would be provided from the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund for road work.
Both the departments had repaired 9,064.19 km of roads damaged in the 2018 floods at a cost of ₹613.71 crore. Some stretches had been damaged in the 2019 floods. The PWD had been asked to complete the repairs by December 31 and the LSGD, by January 31, 2020. The Chief Minister has asked the LSGD to utilise the maintenance grant and to complete the works.
At the meeting, it was decided to prepare a package of roads that could be completed in three months. Based on the field survey, construction companies with expertise in road works will be empanelled for the work.
