PATHANAMTHITTA: Public Works Minister V K Ebrahim Kunju has said a high-level monitoring mechanism, headed by a superintendent engineer, would be set up to ensure the timely completion of the Sabarimala road repair work.
Addressing a Meet-the-Press programme here on Tuesday, the Minister said that the committee would review the progress of the repair work and the construction of the Kanamala bridge on a daily basis. He said that the contractors have been directed to complete the work before November 15.
The work on the crucial Mannarakulanji-Chalakayam Road, being undertaken under the maintenance scheme, would be completed in eight days. He said the quality of works would be closely monitored by technical experts of PWD.
The drainage work and clearing of bushes on either side of important roads to Sabarimala would be completed before the advent of the coming pilgrimage season, he said.
‘Bridge to be Ready by December 15’
The Minister said the crucial Kanamala bridge over Pampa linking Erumeli with Elavunkal would be ready for commissioning by December 15. On the Punalur-Ponkunnam road, under the KSTP scheme, he said that measures were taken for undertaking immediate repair work.
The department has sanctioned `60 lakh for the maintenance work, he said.
The stretch of road included under the KSTP project, to be implemented on PPP scheme, will be taken up as soon as a private partner is identified to implement it, he said.
The land acquisition proceedings for the KSTP project was almost completed, he said. The road would be widened to 12 metres, the Minister said.
Allaying doubts raised over the government’s decision to widen the NH to 45 metres, he said that the government holds fast to its decision and the same has been apprised to the Central Government.The Minister visited Kanamala and reviewed the progress of the work on the bridge. The Minister directed the PWD authorities to undertake the work of the approach roads on both sides of the bridge so as to hasten the commissioning of the bridge and to make it foolproof.