THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Responding to criticism that ‘impractical intervention’ by KIIFB was delaying various infrastructure development projects, Finance Minister and KIIFB vice-chairperson K N Balagopal on Saturday said projects funded by the agency have certain pre-set quality standards which cannot be compromised.
“There can be no compromise on quality. If there is delay in land acquisition, it should be sorted out,” Balagopal told reporters. Pathanapuram MLA KB Ganesh Kumar had raised the issue of inordinate delay in works by KIIFB, in the assembly on Friday.
Ganesh Kumar had said that work on Enath-Pathanapuram road was stalled as KIIFB insisted that sufficient land should first be acquired to ensure 13.6 m width for the road. KIIFB had found out at a later stage that the road was only six metre wide at many places. Indirectly blaming the Works Department for the fiasco, Balagopal said the project was approved by KIIFB following an undertaking from officials concerned regarding its technical aspects.