The Hindu Business Line : Work on transport projects suspended, Kerala Govt tells HC

A DIVISION Bench of the Kerala High Court was informed by the State Government that all proceedings and steps taken for executing works under the performance-based management and maintenance component of the World Bank aided Kerala State Transport Project had been "abated" as per the steering committee meeting of the project.

The Additional Advocate-General, Mr V.K. Beeran, apprised the Bench comprising the Chief Justice, Mr J.L. Gupta, and Mr Justice N.K. Sodhi of the information, when a writ petition filed by Mr Varghese Kannampallil, President, and Government Contractors' Association, came up before the court.

The petition sought an impartial inquiry into the implementation of the project, as, according to him, there was duplication of road works already undertaken by the Public Works Department (PWD) under the project. The petition also pleaded that a direction be issued to the Project Director and the State Government to reconsider the selection of roads under the project.

When the petition came up for hearing on Tuesday, the counsel for the petitioner alleged that even as the PWD reckoned the cost per kilometre of a road maintenance at Rs 25 lakh, the road works under the Project had been pegged at Rs 150 lakh per kilometre. The Additional Advocate General submitted that he would place the relevant data to justify the difference in the cost. The court then adjourned to January 16 the hearing on the petition.

Meanwhile, in an affidavit filed in response to the petition, Mr Babu Jacob, Additional Chief Secretary, who was holding the charge of PWD, said that the steering committee meeting held on December 30 expressed the opinion that the project need to be expanded and should strive to "link itself" with the relevant parameters like maximum level of roughness and riding comfort.

The committee was of the view that it was necessary to lay down guidelines regarding minimum standard for selection of roads. Therefore, it had been decided to "abate" the proceedings initiated by the Project Management Team.

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