THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a curious development, Public Works Minister G Sudhakaran has approached the police with a complaint against a road contractor who failed to start the maintenance work in the prescribed time frame. Sudhakaran called on Kazhakoottam assistant commissioner of police A Pramod Kumar at the latter’s office along with his personal staff Latheef and PWD ( NH) chief engineer K P Prabhakaran on Tuesday morning demanding to register criminal case against Naseeruddin, the contractor who was given contract to lay bitumen on Kazhakootam-Karamana stretch as part of maintenance.
According to Pramod, Naseeruddin, a native of Kilimanoor, and the government had signed a contract and the contract period ended on September 27. Though the contractor was given additional three months to complete the work, he failed to execute the work within the stipulated time. The minister had also warned Naseeruddin thrice to complete the remaining work .
The police have booked Section 406 ( Punishment for criminal breach of trust) against the contractor and also summoned him to the Assistant Commissioner’s office to record statements. Pramod Kumar said further action, including arrest, will be taken after hearing the version of the accused and going through the agreement. “It is a good message by the minister indeed. He had walked a few distance from Vetturoad near Kazhakootam reviewing the condition of the road before approaching police. This is a serious lapse from the contractor,” Kumar said.
The condition of the stretch from Kazhakootam to Karamana is pathetic with many potholes forming after the rain that lashed the city during the past two weeks. Though the contractor had done tarring for a few distance from Kazhakootam to Ulloor, the work got stalled later.
Though the contractor was given additional three months to complete the work, he failed to execute the work within the stipulated time
The police have booked Section 406 against the contractor