Developers to foot bill for Kerala NH damage

The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) is set to complete the assessment of damage to the National Highways in Kerala in a week, and will start working on the corrective measures.

On the other hand, the concessionaires on the National Highways where the toll is being levied in the flood battered state will have to foot the bill for repairs, instead of them getting some relief from the central government and its related organisations.

Speaking to DNA Money, Yudhvir Singh Malik, road ministry secretary, said, "As far as National Highways of the National Highways Authority of India are concerned most of those are the responsibility of the contractors and the concessionaires. They are doing it (the necessary repair and strengthening work)."

"While, wherever the MoRTH related roads are concerned, we have carried out some assessment. Immediately, we had sent about Rs 20 crore as flood damage repairs to make the roads serviceable," Malik said.

As per the assessment report that is in the final stages, the authorities will chalk out plans on which all National Highways would need strengthening as well as re-carpeting of asphalt or cement-concrete layer. This would include which of the roads and the length of the road or segment need to be strengthened further.

During this monsoon, starting August 15, Kerala received unusually high rainfall, resulting in severe floods. Twelve out of 14 districts saw displacement of people apart from severe damage to property. Close to 500 lives were lost and some were reported missing.