The Hindu : 114 bridges weak and unsafe: Muneer

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 27, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

114 bridges weak and unsafe: Muneer

By Our Staff Reporter

PATHANAMTHITTA May 26. The Public Works Minister, M.K. Muneer, has said that a study initiated by the Government has identified 114 bridges, on the various State Highways as well as the National Highway, as weak and unsafe.

Talking to mediapersons at the PWD Rest House at Thiruvalla today, Dr. Muneer said steps would be taken to reconstruct these bridges soon. According to the Minister, the Government has already launched a project to develop the State Highways in accordance with international standards

with financial assistance from the World Bank.

The former Public Works Minister, P.J. Joseph, had initiated a study on `core road network' by a Delhi-based organisation, RITES, in 1996 and the UDF Government has already launched the World Bank (WB)-aided MC Road development project, he added. Dr. Muneer said that the Rs. 1,500-crore World Bank-aided road development project envisaged the upgradation of 610 km and heavy maintenance of 1,000 km. The first phase of the Project, which includes the upgradation of the Mannanthala-Thycaud (near Venjaramoodu) stretch of the MC Road is underway, he said.

The Minister said the second phase of the WB-aided MC Road development project was aimed at widening and straightening the road with two-lane traffic facility along with shoulders and drainages on either side. The project also envisages the rehabilitation and resettlement of people evicted from the land acquired for the road project, he added.

Dr. Muneer said the estimated cost of the second phase of the MC Road development project was Rs. 1 crore for every km and the work was expected to be completed by March, 2007. The Public Works Department has also prepared a detailed project report for a bypass each at Adoor and Thiruvalla and the work on it would begin next March, the Minister said. He said the Government was planning for a performance-linked maintenance system for the roads once the development project was completed. He said the Government would soon bring in legislation for a

Road Safety Council comprises representatives from the Transport Department, PWD, and the Police to enforce traffic rules and regulations, to check encroachment, waste disposal on the roads and wayside, etc. Similarly, the Government was also planning certain fool-proof measures to check frequent digging of roads by various Government agencies on the lines of the Restoration Protocol of Bangalore city, Dr Muneer said.

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