VS Sunilkumar sets deadline to repair Kuthiran road

Thrissur: Agriculture minister V.S. Sunilkumar has warned officials of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) of severe action if they did not fill up the craters at the Kuthiran Climb on NH between Thrissur and Palakkad in 48 hours.

The area is facing acute traffic snarls for the past eight years due to the poor condition of roads, especially after the rains.

The minister said that as per the BOT agreement, the NHAI could use up to Rs 5 crore to repair roads in case of emergency. “Filling up the potholes with cold mixture asphalt would cost only Rs 2.5 crore,” he said. “NHAI officials were asked to transfer the funds to collector’s account immediately. But they said it was not viable. So they (general manager and project director) were given orders to leave Thrissur only after the road repairing works with cold mix begins,” minister noted.

Due to traffic snarls for the past one week at Kuthiran Climb, several students got stuck in the traffic and could not write their examinations. The private buses had called off their operation as well.

The minister told reporters persons in the presence of Thrissur MP T.N. Prathapan and collector S. Shanavas that he interacted with officials of NHAI and it was not possible to open one of the twin tunnels for the movement of vehicles from Thrissur to Palakkad. “There is no fire and safety clearance,” Mr Sunilkumar said. “The blowers to ensure proper ventilation are also not in place. No one could take up the responsibility if anything untoward happens.”