CUTTACK: Expressing ire over the dismal condition of roads in Cuttack city, the Orissa High Court has directed the civic authorities to file affidavits stating what action has been taken against the erring contractors for executing substandard works.
With officials of the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) and other departments concerned present in the court in virtual mode, the bench of Justice SK Sahoo and Justice V Narasingh asked if the work orders to contractors stipulated any guarantee period for the civil work and whether the officials checked the road works as per standard norms.
The bench also wanted to know if there was any provision in the agreement to take action against the contractors whose work was found to be substandard and the repaired roads were damaged within the guarantee period.
With the officials submitting that there were suitable provisions in that respect, the special bench for PILs on civic problems in Cuttack city directed the superintending engineer of the Roads and Buildings department and the city engineer of CMC to file affidavits on the main roads and arterial roads respectively.
The direction was given on Thursday after the bench took note of the report submitted by president of High Court Bar Association (HCBA) Bijay Dash along with photographs on condition of roads in 15 of the 59 wards in the city. The reports were collected by advocates from each of the wards as per direction issued earlier by the court.
Expressing serious concern over the condition of the roads which were getting damaged within a short period after construction or repair, the bench fixed September 26 for further consideration of the matter.
“The authorities concerned shall take immediate steps for repairing the damaged roads in the aforesaid 15 wards and submit the progress report with the affidavit to be filed. Apart from the road works, the authorities shall also address the problems relating to the other civic amenities particularly street lights, repairing of potholes, sanitation issues, waste disposal, covering of drains by concrete slabs, sweeping of streets at regular intervals and clearing growth of vegetation which provides an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes,” the bench ordered.
The HCBA president was also asked to collect reports on the condition of roads and other civic amenities by advocates in respect of the rest of the wards within a week and hand over the same to the CMC authorities to take necessary steps for addressing the issues immediately.