Heavy maintenance work of Sabarimala roads soon

Heavy maintenance work on the three main roads leading to Sabarimala will begin in February, Minister for Public Works V.K. Ebrahim Kunju has said.

Mr. Kunju was inaugurating the work on the proposed Chethackal-Koothattuklulam road at Ranni on Monday.

He said the government had sanctioned Rs.58.45 crore for the heavy maintenance work on the Mannarakulani-Chalakkyam road, Kanamala- Elavumkal road, and the Kanjirappally- Erumeli road and the work would be completed before the beginning of the next Sabarimala pilgrim season. He said work on the Kanamala bridge at Kanamala on the Erumeli- Elavumkal road would begin in the next phase.

The Minister said the work on the ground floor of the proposed 12-storey pilgrim amenity complex at Ittiyappara at Ranni would begin soon and the project would be completed in four years. The funds required for the same would be sanctioned soon.

He said the PWD had taken over 8,570 km rural roads across the State from local self-government institutions after the United Democratic Front came to power.

Mr. Kunju said the government's policy was to sanction more bypasses and ring roads attached to major towns.

Road repair works

He said the PWD could carry out road repair works estimated at Rs.67.25 crore in Pathanamthitta, Kollam, Alappuzha, and Kottayam districts prior to the beginning of the last Sabarimala pilgrim season.

Raju Abraham, MLA, presided over the function. Anto Antony, MP, inaugurated a public meeting.

Mariyamma Cherian, Sosamma, district panchayat members; Benny Puthenparambil, Ranni block panchayat president, and K.E. Abdul Rahman, IUML district president, spoke on the occasion.