THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Stringent action will be taken against those who have been responsible for the damaged condition of the Palarivattom flyover, PWD Minister G Sudhakaran informed the assembly here on Tuesday.
“The investigation is underway to find out the lapses in the construction of the flyover. Once it is over, we will take stringent action against those who have been responsible for this pathetic condition,” he said.
However, he defended the contractor when opposition members asked whether the contractor would be blacklisted by the government. “Not all works done by the contractor are flawed. So we have not taken any decision to blacklist the firm,” Sudhakaran added.
He promised that the repairing works of the flyover would be completed at the earliest. Sudhakaran admitted that the Highway Research Institute had not inspected the flyover before opening it for traffic. “The Highway Research Institute checks the roads, bridges and highways before opening them for traffic. Unfortunately, the institute did not conduct a study (in this case).
This will also be investigated,” he said. Sudhakaran said that many of the contractors selected for various road construction and repair works are not financially stable and this affects the pace of the road works.
“Mainly, the lack of construction materials affects the works, including the overlaying work of the Cherthala-Aroor stretch of NH 47.”
Minister’s take