If the road repairs are not completed on time, many precious lives will be lost. National highways are the main highways in any state. If you look at the national highways in other southern states, there is no one who does not think that there will be six more such highways in Kerala. In the small state of Kerala, once the National Highways become four and six lanes, it will be the biggest factor that would lure big investors.
It should have come. It can be attributed to the incompetence of the ruling political parties. We can expect it to be completed at least during the tenure of this government. The biggest problem now is the growing number of potholes on the national highway. There is no home without a two-wheeler. It is also the state with the highest number of new car sales. Needless to say, if the potholes on the national highway in a state are not filled in a timely manner, it will cause hardship to the people, damage to body and vehicles etc. The number of pits on NH 66 from Kayamkulam to Ambalappuzha is endless. This is the road through which our rulers travel. Public Works Minister P.A. Muhammad Riyaz informed the Assembly that previously, the road repair work on the National Highway was done by PWD. That is practical. It would have gone faster if the MLAs and MPs in the place had intervened. That is not the case now. Four National Highways in Kerala have been handed over to the National Authority as part of making the National Highways four or six lanes. Only with their approval can an estimate of the repairs be prepared. Although the minister has written to the National Highways Authority seven times pointing out the poor condition of the roads, they are sitting unmoved. If the people of Kerala are divided, the attitude of the bureaucrats in Delhi should change. The Chief Minister himself should bring this matter directly to the notice of the Union Minister. The problem can only be solved by providing funds to the State Public Works Department to prepare estimates and carry out repairs as was done before. MPs from Kerala should also make special efforts to bring this urgent issue to the attention of the Central Government. This is the need for Kerala to achieve together. Until then, what to say… let us travel without counting pot holes.