Kolkata: The West Bengal Government is keen on restoration of major city roads well before the Durga Puja festival if there was no rains further, state's Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim said here today.
“We are concerned about the present conditon of the roads, but repair work can't be taken up if rain continues. All concerned departments are trying their best to complete repair works of all roads before Durgapuja festival,” Hakim said.
The work on the flyover between Park Circus and Parama Island would further resume after the Durga Puja festival and be completed by March 2014, he said.
Regarding repair of all National Highways in the state, Hakim said that the state government had already sought help of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
Admitting poor condition of the Jessore Road (NH-34) from Airport Crossing to Barasat and Diamond Harbour Road from Taratala Crossing to Joka, PWD Minister Sudarshan Ghosh Dastidar said that the NHAI had transferred the first road to PWD only in late 2012, while his department PWD has transferred the responsibility of the second road to Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) for construction of Joka-BBD Bag Metro Project.
“PWD will like to assure the citizens that it is committed to keep all roads under its jurisdiction pothholes-free. Necessary instructions in this regard have been issued to all the field officers,” the minister said.
The poor condition of the NH-34 from Airport crossing to Barasat had already been taken up with the NHAI, “as the road is under defect liability liability period of the NHAI contractor till December 2014.”
Later, action had been taken up by the PWD on the assurance of NHAI to transfer fund of the contractor to his department for repair works, he said adding that the PWD has drawn up a detailed estimate of Rs 3.43 crore for the work.
Regarding the poor condition of the Diamond Harbour Road from Taratalla crossing to Joka, the minister said that the matter has also been taken up with the RVNL, which has assured to complete repairing the stretch within a fortnight.
