Now, contractors to face legal action over damaged roads

The PWD has decided to file a case against the concerned engineers and contractor if a road is damaged within six months of construction in an effort to ensure the quality of roads in the state. The PWD issued a directive in this regard on August 2. According to the order, the investigation must be completed within six months and the report submitted to the court if the officials and contractor are charged with a crime. Officials and contractors will be subject to an investigation even if the finished or repaired road is damaged within a year. An investigation of this nature ought to be finished in three months. The order further stated that officials and contractors will face legal repercussions for any lapses discovered to be the result of their deliberate or careless behavior. These actions won't be taken, the order stated, if the road is damaged as a result of bad weather or rain. The vigilance informed the High Court that there had been no prompt quality assurance inspection of the road construction. The vigilance added that tarring materials were not used in the appropriate amount during a surprise inspection. Manoj Abraham, the director of vigilance, was online for the court hearing and provided an explanation of the actions his department had taken in relation to the various roads in Kerala. According to him, 107 complaints out of more than 7,500 received were investigated after intelligence inputs and unexpected inspections. Additionally, it is advised that competent department officers with a track record of efficiency in conducting inspections of road construction and maintenance work be included in regional quality control divisions. See also: Performance audit vital for civic bodies, says GadkariBhopal PWD will begin a special campaign for maintaining roads