Team Herald
MARGAO: Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Deepak Pauskar on Wednesday issued a stern warning to the contractors that they would be blacklisted and not given any contracts in future if they fail to repair the roads by November.
Refuting the contentions that the roads were washed out due to heavy rainfall, the minister said condition of roads was because sub standard material was used.
Speaking during the commissioning of the pothole repairing machine at Nuvem, he disclosed plans to use the tar that is imported directly to the Mormugao Port or Karwar port instead of Mumbai.
“While bringing the tar from Mumbai to Goa anything can happen and that is why we are trying to get it delivered in Goa itself so that the best material is available to contractors,” he said.
When brought to his notice that in the past PWD had merely blacklisted a company undertaking the contract and this had led to the contractor later floating another company to bag the tender, Deepak assured that it would not happen this time as the individual contractor would be blacklisted.
Stating that from November hot mixing of roads all over the State would be taken up; the minister asserted that no roads will be asphalted after May 2020 as road works undertaken during monsoons do not last.
Speaking on the pothole repairing machine, he said the contractor Deepak Dessai, who had brought the machine, would be given tenders to repair the potholes and paid according to the PWD rate per cubic metre.
The machine named Dr Road is a joint venture by Deepak’s son through his company Jay Shree Mallikarjun Constructions and a Gujarat-based company that assembled it. The machine has emulsion tank of 3-tonne capacity, generator, gavel and morass, which is mixed in either cold pack or hot pack. It is also fitted with heating technique and can repair 15 cubic metres of roads per day.
The machine, which is mounted on the truck costs Rs 56 lakh, has been designed by Deepak’s son Avinav and assembled by the Gujarat company.
The PWD Minister hoped more such machines would be brought to Goa so that the repair of roads is done faster without causing any inconvenience to motorists.
Local MLA Wilfred D’Sa, Nuvem sarpanch Elvita Costa, Nuvem ZP member Reuben D’Costa along with other panchas from Nuvem and other villages of the constituency were present.
Fr Hayston Fernandes blessed the machine before the demonstration.
Refusing to comment on the proposed road on stilts as part of the Western Bypass as demanded by locals, the minister said the bypass would be ready by December next year and assured that the issues of flooding and water logging would be suitably addressed.
