THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Technical approval of the government for the second phase of the running contract to maintain the roads even after the contract period to prevent potholes and waterholes from causing accidents and facilitate vehicular movement. 7685 km of road is sanctioned. The cost is Rs 183 crores. Administrative permission had already been given. The tender process will start soon.

A running contract is an advance agreement to repair defects for one year on roads past the contractor's liability period (defect liability period).

The duration of the 3,123 km road contracted for the first phase will be completed by May and the first part of the second phase, 9,210 km road, will be completed by September. The next part of the second phase is 7,685 km. These roads will be handed over to the contractors within a month. This will ensure proper maintenance and monitoring of the total 23,843 km of roads by adding 3,825 km of roads currently under maintenance. Phone numbers of the contractor and responsible officer are displayed at the start and end of all roads under the maintenance period. People can report their complaints on the numbers on the boards set up as part of the public works policy that people are not spectators but watchmen.
The Public Works Department has also decided to appoint a special team under the supervision of the Chief Engineer divided into three areas to check the failure of the officials in bringing the damages to the attention of the contractors.

Running contract roads

District...................................No...........Km

Thiruvananthapuram ............57.................783.56

Kollam...................................32.............. ..451.15

Alappuzha.............................14.................308.587

Pathanamthitta......................23.................697.745

Kottayam...............................33................ 893.087

Idukki.....................................56............. ...610.114

Ernakulam.............................36.................812.783

Thrissur...................................9.................309.317

Palakkad...............................14............... .652.64

Malappuram..........................54............ ....956.988

Kozhikode...............................8.................220.573

Wayanad.................................9..................77.913

Kannur...................................14................606.674

Kasaragod...............................7............... 411.670

Total....................................366..............7685.054

'With the implementation of the second phase, the maintenance of the roads will be complete. Out of the 29,553 km road of the Public Works Department, 20,018 km were included in the running contract.'

- PA Muhammad Riaz,
Minister of Public Works Department