The Hindu 24.12.2009
Corporation asks KSEB to halt trenching work
Staff Reporter
Roads dug up not being restored properly |
KOCHI: The Kochi Corporation Council, which met on Wednesday, has decided to ask the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) and its contractors to stop the trenching works for laying underground cables in the city.
The decision comes in the wake of complaints that the agencies were not satisfactorily carrying out the road restoration works after cutting them open for laying cables. The cables were being laid as part of a voltage improvement scheme being implemented in the city.
By an agreement, the agency was to close the trenches within 24 hours of opening it and complete the tarring works within a week. However, in most of the cases, the restoration works got inordinately delayed, said Mayor Mercy Williams.
Moreover, the agency declined to carry out the restoration works in areas other than roads which led to widespread criticism. There was also lack of coordination between contractors and subcontractors. The corporation will convey its displeasure over the restoration works to the agencies concerned, she said.
The trenching of recently tarred roads had invited the wrath of the public, many councillors said.
Some of the important city thoroughfares including the Thamannam-Pullepady road, K.P. Vallon road, some portions of MG Road and Subash Chandra Bose road were thus dug by the agency, Ms. Williams said.
The Council directed its assistant engineers and overseers to ensure the quality of the road and drain works that are to be implemented in the city as part of the People’s Plan programme. Several councillors expressed apprehension about the quality of work as the contractors quoted amounts much below the estimate. In some cases, the quoted amount was 24 per cent less than the estimate amount, raising fears that the contractors may compromise on the quality of the work, councillors said.
The Council, while directing the officials to ensure the quality of work, warned that they would be made personally responsible for any defect found in the work.