After an interval, Mulavukad island is on the boil yet again over the familiar issue of potholed road.
Mulavukad panchayat members led by president V.S. Akbar on Monday launched a 24-hour siege of the Goshree Islands Development Authority (GIDA) office demanding immediate maintenance of the 2.50-km-long potholed stretch, which was built last September at an estimated cost of ₹2.23 crore, only to crumble in a matter of months.
The stretch constitutes the second reach of the 6.50-km-long road winding through the island, and was built by Kitco after being entrusted with the work by GIDA following a 247-day-long protest demanding its construction. The first reach was built more than a decade ago, and technical sanction has been received for the remaining third reach of about 1.50 km.
“The condition of the road deteriorated despite traffic being low owing to pandemic curbs. It was once repaired by the contractor under the guarantee clause. But it was again reduced to potholes, and Kitco is not willing to do the maintenance now despite having agreed initially. Kitco claims that the guarantee period was one year, and that it was over, though as per government notification, the guarantee period lasts two years. The panchayat can neither afford to fund the maintenance work nor can it do so during the guarantee period as it will lead to audit objections,” said Mr. Akbar.
The GIDA authorities said Kitco was bound to undertake the maintenance work. “We have scheduled a meeting to be attended by the Kitco managing director to discuss the issue. The meeting is likely to throw up a solution following which we will also meet panchayat members,” said a senior GIDA official.
Kitco officials claimed that the guarantee period of two years is applicable to only new roads, and in this case, it was only for a year, and that had already expired. “The proposed stretch was paved using 20-mm chipping carpet, but got damaged as it was often flooded owing climatic changes including high tide. The quality of work was not the issue, but the road surfaced in this manner cannot survive constant flooding. That is one of the reasons why we have proposed interlocking tiles for the last reach of the road at an estimated cost of ₹4.50 crore. While it may be costlier, it is better than adopting a method unfit for the area,” said a senior Kitco official.
Kitco’s stance is that interlocking tiles will have to be laid along the potholed second reach of the road for which either the GIDA or the panchayat will have to allocate adequate funds.
Mr. Akbar, however, shot down Kitco’s claim that constant flooding had damaged the road. “The fact is that tarring is supposed to be done within 10-15 days of the soling work to strengthen the upper crust of the road. In this case, tarring took place after four months, by which time, the soling work got washed away, and the poor quality surfacing work worsened it further,” he said.
Panchayat members are determined to prolong their protest beyond 24 hours as was originally planned unless a solid solution emerges.
