KOCHI: Tax-payers will soon be able to register their complaints related to road safety issues, such as dilapidated roads, and on multiple online platforms.
In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Public Works Department (PWD) has decided to launch a multi-media call centre for grievance redressal and providing better service to road users in the State. The Department will also launch a mobile application (App) that would act as an interface between the Department and the public. The call centre will be set up with the appropriate institutional arrangements, under the Road Bridge Maintenance Policy scheduled to be implemented in April next year. The government has given in-principle approval for the policy.
According to K Sundaran, PDW chief engineer (Roads and Bridges - Design and Administration), if thing go as planned, the call centre would be launched very soon. “The system will allow the public to inform the call centre about the poor condition of roads and accidents. Since the engineer himself has the authority to sanction remedial activities - of up to a certain amount - there will be immediate response from the Department. The government is also planning to make the service available round the clock,” said Sundaran.
“Though a call centre managed by the Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP) is currently operational, it has not been as effective as expected,” said a PWD official.
The draft Road Bridge Maintenance Policy states that Kerala has a road density of 390 km/sqkm, which is roughly three times the national average. As much as 1,542 km of the 1,51,652 km of roads in Kerala are national highways, 4,341 km state highways and 32,747 major district roads. It also points out that high population density, ever-increasing traffic, sub-optimal geometrical standards, narrow roads, two long rainy seasons and poor drainage system affect the condition of roads.
Hence, it is essential to have a proper road maintenance policy, involving the latest technology.
The policy also stresses the need to develop computerised systems for continuous monitoring of roads; assessment of traffic; quality testing of materials used for road maintenance and capacity building of PWD engineers.
In addition to the existing procedures, maintenance modalities such as ‘performance-based maintenance contract’ and ‘public-private-partnership’ shall also be adopted depending on requirement.