3-tier system to finish road works
Govt to expedite the cable laying work so as to meet the March 2015 target
By : arjun raghunath
Update: 2014-10-16 05:39 GMT
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) expressing concern over the objections raised by the Public Works Department (PWD) over digging up roads for the much-hyped National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN), the State Government has set up a three-tier mechanism to complete the work within the targeted time of March, 2015.
BBNL, which is laying the optic fibre connecting all 978 grama panchayats as part of the NOFN project, had written to the State Government that the work could not make much progress in Kerala as the PWD was not issuing permission to dig roads to lay cables, even after right-of-way was granted to BBNL for laying them.
Considering BBNL's concern, the Government has set up a three-tier monitoring mechanism to sort out such issues and expedite the cable laying work so as to meet the March 2015 target. While about 800 km of cable needs to be laid in the State, only around 150 km has been laid so far.
According to Government sources, the PWD raised objections citing earlier instances of agencies digging up roads for various purposes and then leaving without repairing the dug up portions. It is hoped that the three-tier monitoring mechanism comprising officials of the PWD, Local Self-government Department, IT Department and BBNL, would be able to sort out the issues soon.