KOCHI: In view of the series of allegations and a poor track record in implementing projects, the state government is considering the future of the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala Ltd, a PSU under the state government -- whether to close it down or not. Public Works Minister G Sudhakaran told Express that the functioning of RBDCK is not up to the expectation and the government is forced to consider the extreme step of winding up the corporation, which manages the construction of roads and bridges in the state.
“The organisation had been a total failure in monitoring several projects implemented under its responsibility.“We are rethinking about the purpose of such a government body for the development projects in the state.“The government is seriously considering steps to wind up the company which is registered under the Companies Act 1956 in 1999,” said Sudhakuran.
The minister’s surprise remarks on RBDCK came hours after the government decided to reconstruct the Palarivattom flyover which was constructed under the guidance of RBDCK at a project cost of nearly `42 crore in 2016.
“Since RBDCK was constituted as a separate company, the PWD can’t directly monitor the projects undertaken by the agency. It is sad to say that the monitoring by RBDCK officials was pathetic. So we are forced to plan an extreme step regarding RBDCK,” the minister told Express. Earlier during a visit to the flyover earlier had said administrative and lapses of RBDCK officials resulted in the sad state of the bridge.
He said the RBDCK officials had failed to supervise the work carried out by the New Delhi-based RDS Projects Ltd.