Perilous pathways: CM orders stringent steps

The state government is taking stringent measures to ensure proper road conditions even after Monsoon.

After the recent heavy showers, it was found in many places that the road condition has turned poor with potholes and craters on certain stretches.

During a recent visit to Howrah, poor condition of a particular stretch had come to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's attention. She immediately directed the concerned authorities to take necessary steps so that the condition didn't turn worse after the Monsoon and potholes would be covered that often lead to accidents.

Following the direction of the Chief Minister, the state government is taking necessary steps.

Firhad Hakim, minister of the Urban Development and Municipal Affairs, said: "There was heavy rainfall. But it has to be found out that why such a thing has happened. The contractors have to be blacklisted if it is found that it happened due to their mistake."

In a bid to ensure that roads didn't get filled up with potholes and craters after heavy rainfall, a set of new norms that need to be followed by contractors who will construct the roads will be introduced. It will be in place from the start of August.

It will be clearly mentioned in the tender notices that the contractors, who gets the tender to construct a road, also have to give guarantee that its condition will not deteriorate much for five years. It will be the responsibility of the contractor in case condition of the road deteriorates.

There are different set of contractors in every civic body. Since all the civic bodies are under the Urban Development and Municipal Affairs department, the norms will be same for all and all of them will have to implement it.

It may be recalled that it was only after the change of guard in the state that people in Bengal have witnessed good road conditions throughout a year in each and every part of the state. Soon after coming to power, the Mamata Banerjee government had given stress on construction of roads and repairing of those which were in poor condition for years during the Left Front regime. Even in the rural parts of the state, road condition had improved and it had helped in developing the economy of each and every part of the state.