The shocking incident of the death of a 21-year-old Tamil Nadu native engaged in piling work here has exposed the flouting of guidelines for road digging and piling work in the city.
As per the rules, contractors involved in road digging work should get prior consent from the Kochi Corporation before initiating the works. The person should also inform agencies such as the Kerala State Electricity Board if electric cables have to be shifted or power switched off before starting the work.
They should also inform the Kerala Water Authority if pipelines are passing through the place where the road digging is taking place. The contractor should get the permission from the Public Works Department if the road comes under it or the relevant agency responsible for the maintenance of the road.
No request: KSEB
In the piling work on the culvert at Chalikavattom, the contractor was required to submit a letter at the Vennala electrical section of the KSEB requesting shifting of electric cables and halting power supply before proceeding with the work. Officials at the Vennala sub-station, having jurisdiction over the area, claimed that no such request was received from the contractor before the piling began on Wednesday morning.