Minister for Public Works G. Sudhakaran should intervene immediately to put an end to the ‘foul play’ by the contract company at Kuthiran on the Mannuthy-Wadakkanchery stretch of National Highway 47, Congress leader V.M. Sudheeran has said. The company has stocked sand bags by the side of the road, instead of constructing a granite wall, to prevent landslide at Kuthiran.
“It is a serious breach of security guidelines by the company and the officials. It is to be noted that such irresponsible construction is going on even as we are discussing the irregularities in the Palarivattam overbridge construction. The company is confident that the officials of the National Highway Authority of India will protect it at any cost,” Mr. Sudheeran said. He called upon the Minister to put a stop to the ‘unholy nexus’ between the officials and company.
‘Safety norms flouted’
“The protective wall should be constructed with granite. The company has been neglecting the safety guidelines given by the High Court and the Human Rights Commission. Fifty-eight people had died on this stretch in accidents in the last six years.”
T.N. Prathapan, MP, had earlier brought the issue to the attention of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. But his reply did not gel with the reality. The Minister has been misled by officials, Mr. Sudheeran alleged.