KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday asked the state what portion of the funds meant for repairing roads are actually utilized for that purpose.

''We need to identify what portion of the contract money goes into the road. At least half of it should be utilized,'' Justice Devan Ramachandran said and added sarcastically ''I do not expect them to utilize 100 percent of the funds on road work''. The judge further said, ''If the engineers are not aware about the status of the roads, I will call them here. I will talk to them. We need to know what they are up to. If engineers are not aware, then why do we require them? Why not just have masons and supervisors.'' The high court's observations came after the local bodies and the state were unable to answer queries posed to them on the status of certain roads in and around Kochi city.

The judge said that he has received inputs from the general public regarding the status of 49 roads, including those of the Public Works Department, in the state which are in bad shape and require major repairs.

The court said it has also received inputs regarding certain engineers and contractors.

Justice Ramachandran said that roads do not get damaged due to rains alone.

He said that if the engineers are unable to keep track of which roads need timely maintenance or repairs, then tax payers money should not be used to pay their salaries.

''Why don't they have the sense to know when the roads are getting damaged? Why do they wait for the rains?'' ''People should be assured that they won't get injured or die in accidents due to pits on the road. That much assurance they should have,'' the court said.

It said it will be monitoring the issue on a daily basis for now.

The court was hearing two petitions on the poor state of roads, lack of proper street lighting, hanging cables and illegal parking on pavements in Kochi city.

On the last date of hearing, the court had said it was ''exasperating'' and ''a real tragedy'' that after every rain in the state, the roads fall into disrepair and only after they are rendered completely non-motorable do the authorities step in to make repairs.

However, the repairs are unable to stand the test of the next rain and the roads require patchwork again, it had said.

The court had said that authorities should build or repair roads in a manner they are usable for a longer period of time and added ''a stitch in time saves nine''.

It had directed the authorities responsible for maintaining roads in the state ''to immediately take stock of various roads in Kerala and take measures to ensure they are in good condition'' and that they are maintained in that manner for a longer period of time.