City roads in bad shape

By T. Nandakumar

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, OCT. 3. Deep potholes, trenches and overflowing sewers have rendered a large part of the city road network virtually unmotorable even as the Corporation is struggling to overcome an acute funds crunch which threatens to delay maintenance works. The recent showers which led to waterlogging in the low-lying areas have aggravated the situation.

The roads in the Thampanoor, Pangode, Jagathy, Kannettumukku, Killipalam, Valiasala, Pettah, Medical College, Ulloor and Karamana areas are the worst affected. Two-wheeler riders are in danger of being thrown away from their vehicles after hitting deep trenches filled with muddy water. Even four-wheelers have to struggle through the potholed roads at a snail's pace, clogging traffic along congested stretches. The condition of the roads in the new wards annexed from the five suburban panchayats of Ulloor, Kadakampally, Attipra, Nemom and Thiruvallam is no better.

With the rain waterlogging entire stretches, many of the narrow roads today resemble a cross-country race course. The Corporation budget has allocated 25 per cent of the total outlay for road works in the new wards but officials concede that no work has been taken up. At many places, newly-surfaced roads have been dug up by the Telecom department, KSEB or the drainage division of the Water Authority for laying pipes.

The chairman of the Corporation Works standing committee, Mr. V. S. Padmakumar, said it would take at least two months for road maintenance works to commence. The District Planning Committee has approved a sum of about Rs. 5 crores for road works in the city. The first instalment has been released but the work can be taken up only after the tendering process which is expected to take two months.

Meanwhile, contractors working for the Corporation have put another spoke in the wheel by securing an order from the High Court restraining the local body from tendering road works which have no budget provision or fund allocation. The local body has since appealed against the order, citing the development needs of the capital city.

Corporation officials however admit that the local body is struggling from a severe funds crunch. "The monthly establishment expenses of the Corporation have gone up from Rs. 80 lakhs to Rs. 140 lakhs following the devolution of powers from the State Government and the merger of five suburban panchayats. But the current monthly collections average hardly Rs. 110 lakhs, leaving a gap of over Rs. 30 lakhs. Stamp duty and vehicle tax compensation dues from the Government have crossed Rs. 5 crores", says a Corporation functionary. Mr. Padmakumar said the Corporation had received only Rs. 40 lakhs out of the Rs. 130 lakhs sanctioned by the previous LDF regime.

The scarcity of tar is another problem which threatens to slow down road works in the city. "The last consignment of tar which was secured on a Rs. 30 lakhs credit from the Indian Oil Corporation has been exhausted after distribution for urgent repair works. The Corporation will now have to purchase more stock before the maintenance works are taken up", says Mr. Padmakumar.

Officials complain that they are seldom intimated by the KWA, Telecom department or the KSEB before the roads are dug up. The channels are loosely packed with soil which is washed away in the heavy summer rains leaving deep trenches. They say the agencies are slow in sanctioning the compensation for digging up roads. Under the current system, the Corporation Engineer has to prepare the estimate for repairing the dug up roads and hand it over to the agency for compensation. But the staff shortage in the Corporation has delayed the assessment process.

About two years back, the local body had acquired a pothole patching machine at a cost of Rs. 21 lakhs. But technical problems have hindered its operation and the machine has been dumped in the Corporation premises.

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