PWD roads land in pathetic state
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 20 2024:
A number of roads under the State PWD including State Highways, major district roads, other district roads and IVRs have worn out to a pathetic state.
However, there is no plan to repair these highly dilapidated roads any time soon.
Moreover, many major works taken up by PWD have been stopped incomplete, sources said.
Construction work of the Civil Secretariat which was making rapid progress earlier could not be completed till date.
The Leishang Hiden project against which several crores were invested has been abandoned.
VVIP guest house constructed in the erstwhile High Court complex has come to a standstill.
PWD which was once a key engineering department and responsible for implementation of the State's lion share of development works/projects is no longer its former self, said the sources.
Even though the department is now handling much lesser volume of work, plans are afoot to recruit around 200 Section Officers.
As such, it remains a big question what kind of work would be assigned to these Section Officers, said the sources.
According to information received from PWD Additional Chief Engineer in-charge II, around Rs 250 crore has been incorporated in the State budget of the current financial year for repairing roads under PWD.
To utilise this amount, the Work Advisory Board (WAB) should hold a meeting and work out how much percentage should be used in paying liabilities and what percentage should be utilised in repairing works.
WAB comprises the Minister concerned, local MLAs and Government officials.
Before the WAB holds its meeting, MLAs, PWD Executive Engineers, public and local clubs may submit work proposals.
Later, the work programme would be finalised by the department, said the sources.
Generally, WAB meetings are held in July/August but this time the meeting may be held within 15 days.
However, it would take time to start repairing roads.
In addition to the budgetary allocation of around Rs 250 crore, the State generally gets around Rs 40 crore from the Central Road Fund (CRF) .
Further, the State gets certain amounts from IRDF, UIDF and SACI Fund.
Despite all the limitations, the department has been engaging in some periodic renewal and repairing works, the sources added.