THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the PWD turning its back on cutting the newly tarred roads, the Water Authority is worried whether the Jal Jeevan Mission project can be completed on time.

The project to ensure 24-hour clean water in rural households is scheduled to be completed by March 2024. The Water Authority has submitted 4077 applications to the Public Works Department seeking permission to cut the road for pipe laying. But PWD has not given permission to cut the roads that are not even a year old. The National Highways Authority is also taking the same approach.

PWD officials attribute the delay in sanctioning to non-expiration of Defect Liability Period (DLP) of many roads and delay in arranging works. Due to the monsoon season, road cutting is not allowed from June to August 15.

Department, Application, Granted, Rejected (in order of)

Public Works Department: 3593 - 1028 - 2565

National Highways Authority: 112 - 11 - 101

Road Fund Board: 256 - 30 - 226

PWD NH: 73-14-59

Road Infrastructure Company Kerala Limited: 7- 0 - 7

Total applications-4077

Permission granted-1101

Rejected/undecided-2976

Applications in districts in the order of Allowed, Rejected/Undecided Pending

Thiruvananthapuram - 357- 119- 238

Kollam - 532- 185- 347

Pathanamthitta - 112- 10 - 102

Kottayam - 318 - 117- 201

Alappuzha- 63 - 24- 39

Idukki - 316- 11- 305

Ernakulam - 475- 42 - 433

Thrissur - 371- 117- 254
Palakkad - 256 - 130 - 126

Malappuram - 425- 4- 421

Wayanad - 99- 4- 95

Kannur - 122- 28 - 94

Kasaragod - 75- 19- 56