: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has been asked to fill potholes over the one-km-long Kumbalam-Aroor bridge using cold mix bitumen within a week.
The direction was given by District Collector M.G. Rajamanickam after he inspected the ill-maintained bridge on Monday. Potholes re-appeared though NHAI scooped out the bridge’s potholed surface and tar coated it a few months ago.
“I have also asked NHAI’s Kochi project director to fill potholes at junctions in the Edappally-Aroor NH Bypass since they are causing huge traffic snarls and accidents at junctions. We might have to suspend collection of toll over the bypass if NHAI fails to do quality repair work at the bridge and junctions within the stipulated time frame. It is noteworthy that junctions in other parts of NH 47 and most busy junctions in the city are free of potholes,” Mr Rajamanickam said.
NHAI’s project director C.T. Abraham said potholed parts of junctions would soon be covered using concrete tiles.
The district administration had issued a similar direction in 2013 after potholes developed over the bridge and junctions on National Highway Bypass.
