Minister Riyas promises good maintenance of roads

Kozhikode: Minister of Public Works Department P.A. Mohammed Riyas on Sunday declared that all roads in the state must be maintained in good condition. He pointed out that there is no need for the public to be aware of which department carries out renovation of various roads in the state. The only thing that matters is its proper maintenance, he added.  

“Out of over 1.5 lakh kilometres of roads are in Kerala, more than one lakh km of roads does not come under the jurisdiction of the Public Works Department. But, the department is trying its maximum to implement the work entrusted to us, ” he told media here on Sunday.

While applauding the efforts of Kozhikode corporation in road maintenance, the minister clarified that there is a misconception over the departments which maintain various roads in the state.

“Apart from PWD roads, some roads come under Local Self Government Department and other departments. There are more than 1.5 lakh km of roads in Kerala. Of this, only 32,000 km of roads are under the jurisdiction of the Public Works Department,” he said. 

Meantime, the minister also informed about the progress in the works for converting PWD rest houses into temporary shelters for travellers.

“The Public Works Department has been moving forward for the past four months with the decision to renovate rest houses, facilitate online bookings and ensure cleanliness. So far, the government received Rs 27.5 lakh in a month through online bookings,” he added.