Shortage of materials hampers hill highway works in Idukki

The works on the Kuttikanam-Chappathu stretch of the hill highway have been affected by the extreme scarcity of crushed granite and different building materials. The assistant engineer of the Public Works Department (PWD), Peerumade division, stated that the works on the 18-km stretch had been progressing at a gradual tempo now.

The granite was introduced from a crusher unit at Anakkara, close to Kumily. When the unit was closed, the fabric was procured from items outdoors the district. However, provide fell quick as safety partitions needed to be constructed at many locations on the hilly stretch.

‘Only for a week’

“Only one-third of the manpower is being used for the work due to the shortage of boulders and M-sand,” stated Shijo, undertaking supervisor. He added that works must be stopped in every week if the development materials weren’t made accessible. The lockdown additionally impacted the works’ progress, he stated.

It is feared that rain might set off landslips if the safety partitions will not be constructed on time in areas the place large-scale earthwork has been completed. As per the settlement, the works need to be accomplished earlier than April 2022.

Complaints about NH work

Meanwhile, the district administration has begun a survey to seek out the amount of rocks blasted on the Gap Road stretch of the Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway in Munnar.

A group of geologists will examine the positioning and submit a report following complaints that massive rocks from the realm had been crushed and bought as granite to different prospects, in keeping with Devikulam Subcollector S. Prem Krishnan. As per guidelines, the blasted rocks can be utilized just for the road-widening works there.

The ₹268.2-crore road-widening works on the 41-km-long Munnar-Bodimettu stretch had been launched in 2017.