Kerala: Experts put blame on poor design for roads' plight

Kochi: There has been much hue and cry over the potholed roads on the entire 40 km stretch between Oachira and Cherthala. While works minister G. Sudhakaran repeatedly blames the engineers and contractors, experts say due to lack of proper designing it got damaged within two years of construction. There are several instances of such open-ended looting of public resources. The minister has initiated an enquiry on the conditions of the stretch in his constituency between Purakkad and Pathirapally in Alappuzha district. Despite the contractor being made liable for his work for three years after construction, authorities are surprised at the fast pace of destruction. Kasaragod-based construction company Concord had done several jobs in the district alone for Rs 48 crore.

“The outcome of the enquiry is yet to be known. If PWD officials are found guilty, they would definitely face punishment. Already repair works have been initiated,” said a top PWD official. Changanassery bypass constructed two years back is also full of potholes. Already four to five patch works had been undertaken by the contractor there. Experts want the NH laid in a minimum of five layers. In a pyramid-like structure, the bottom layer has to be set with gravel first, then a granular sub base, wet mix macadam, bitumen macadam and finally bitumen concrete on the top.

“Thickness and density of the materials also have to be checked. When we are undertaking BM and BC work, the lifespan of a road stretch has to be minimum 15 years,” said Varghese Kannampally, president of Kerala Government Contractors Association. He also recalled how Indo-Malaysian joint venture Pati-Bel built 100 km stretch of MC Road between Chengannur and Kazhakkoottam meticulously designing and executing. Even after ten years, the road is in excellent condition with periodic overlaying to prevent it getting damaged. He claimed most of the contractors were under quoting below par with listed rates.

“Since we are paid only after a year of the work, we have typically been quoting below the scheduled rates. It’s a deplorable condition,” he said. Even PWD officials are not entirely blaming contractors. The Oachira – Alappuzha stretch of NH bears 58,000 passenger car per unit. “When it should have been a six-lane stretch, it is only two-lane which damages roads. Also, the issue in Alappuzha is that on one side, it is sea and the other backwaters and above all, no proper drainage,” said a top PWD official. When the NH roads undergo maintenance works, regular traffic can be allowed immediately after tarring only when the temperature reaches 36 degrees. But in Kerala, people are in a hurry to continue with their journey. Though the majority of the road construction and maintenance works are currently during night, there are several constraints.

National Highway Authority of India never provides any money for strengthening works, a big dilemma the PWD engineers face. For a two lane laying of a km stretch having BM and BC, it would cost a minimum of Rs 3 crore. But when it comes to a four lane NH road, the cost would go up to Rs 10 crore – Rs 12 crore as there would be bridges, median and underpass. But engineers and contractors say the amount may vary as all the stretches may not be similar. Despite the PWD having a quality control lab in Kochi and issuing proper certification for tarring, roads still get damaged. Both engineers and contractors are awaiting the minister’s nod for properly designed roads to save millions of rupees on repeated maintenance works.