No steps yet to supply tar for Sabarimala road repair

Administrative nod for works given only on October 10

A view of the badly damaged stretch of the Kozhencherry-Ranniroad at Cherukol that has been identified as one among the 17 Sabarimalaroads by the Kerala High Court. Photo: Leju Kamal

The Special Commissioner appointed by Kerala High Court, K. Babu, has reported to the court that the government was yet to make arrangements for the supply of bitumen (tar) to the contractors for the repair and maintenance of various Sabarimala roads.

In his report submitted to the court on Monday, Mr. Babu said that senior PWD and National Highway officials had stated before him that the government had failed to supply bitumen to the contractors. The supply of bitumen is done by Bharath Petroleum Limited.

Work yet to begin

Mr. Babu said there were a number of Sabarimala roads leading to the Pathanamthitta-Pampa main trunk road as well as the Erumely-Elavumkal road where maintenance work had not even commenced in gross violation of the High Court order.

The report says that the High Court had directed the government on February 6, 2013, that “PWD and National Highways shall complete maintenance work on Sabarimala roads before the end of October every year.”

Mr. Babu said despite repeated directions made by the Devaswom Bench of the High Court regarding the time-bound completion of repair and maintenance of Sabarimala roads, the government had given administrative sanction for the works only on October 10.

Quality matters

He said, during his recent inspections on Sabarimala roads, many experts had opined that delayed repairing and maintenance would affect the quality of work. The report unambiguously states that the “motorability of various link roads leading to Sabarimala has been adversely affected due to lack of proper and timely maintenance.”

Many a roadside, after the tar portion (berm), was found ill-maintained, posing danger to the motorists as well as pedestrians. “Measures like jungle clearance, levelling of roadsides, erection of crash barriers, and installation of blinking lights, mirrors, reflectors, and so on are to be done on an emergency basis,” the report said.

Directive to State

The Devaswom Bench of the High Court, comprising Justices T.R. Ramachandran Nair and P.V. Asha, in turn, on Monday directed the government to take effective steps to ensure adequate supply of bitumen for completion of the road repair work on time.