Contractors call for timely repair of roads

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Government Contractors Association has called for timely repair of roads in the state.  Association state president Varghese Kannampally told a news conference that instead of waiting for the High Court’s intervention asking for urgent repair of roads, the government should ensure road safety based on clear planning. He pointed out that it was the High Court’s intervention that had helped in repairing the roads. He said the government should have planned in advance ahead of the next monsoon.  “It is also important that the engineers should ensure that the roads being repaired now would withstand the next monsoon,” he said. He exhorted the contractors not to take the contracts which had not been allotted a reasonable amount. Besides, they should give at least one-year guarantee for the work they execute.  He wanted the government to initiate stringent action against the department engineers and contractors who commit lapses in ensuring quality. He said the contractors association would be observing the year 2012 as the ‘Quality Year’. He said a state-level workshop would be held at Alappuzha on January 20.  Kannampally said the outlay for the projects should be formulated at least for tarring with 4 cm chipping carpet, instead of the 2 centimetre tarring.  He said the government should provide tar directly for all types of works.  He pointed out that the failure to execute the repair works in a timely manner would lead to damages and huge loss  to the buildings, bridges and roads. State treasurer K Anil Kumar, district president R Viswanathan, V P R Roy and others also attended the meeting.