Bad condition of roads: Ignorance is not the real problem

In the wake of the High Court ruling that engineers should resign if they do not know how to build roads that are not damaged by rain, hope for a fundamental change in the condition of the roads will be misplaced. The reference from the single bench of the High Court was related to the deplorable condition of the roads in Ernakulam. The situation is similar across the state. There are hundreds of dilapidated roads everywhere, making it impossible for even pedestrians to walk on them. Justice Devan Ramachandran's criticism came during the consideration of a petition filed in 2008 regarding the poor condition of roads.

Even the condition of national highways cannot be said to be better now. National highways are prone to cracks and craters, making it difficult for motorists to drive through. One of the reasons is that it rains for about six months. But nowadays it is possible to build good quality roads that can withstand rain. The main problem is that not even half of the money released from the public treasury for the road reaches the road works. Contractors cannot be blamed for this misery. From officials to local leaders, everyone will take a share and the rest is used for the road.

Even if the contract amount is high, the annual maintenance will not require much if quality roads are built . There is no need to follow the old fashioned road construction as modern technologies are available at hand.

Road strength and stiffness must be increased in line with traffic congestion. The number of vehicles in the state is over one crore. Instead of lorries carrying eight to ten tons, huge trucks carrying thirty to forty tons run sideways and sideways. Public streets, like human beings, need healthy check-ups and treatment. If a pot forms somewhere in the street and is closed immediately, it will not become a pit.

The public works maintenance department has a large army of engineers and staff. The deplorable condition of the public streets is such that one wonders what they are doing. Two days ago, Maintenance Minister Mohammad Riyaz had unveiled a new system to enable government departments to coordinate road maintenance. A committee will be constituted to oversee the work carried out under the Public Works Department. The committee will be the representative of the public. The committee will intervene to expedite the repair work. Reconstruction of damaged roads is the primary objective of the committee.