Pathanamthitta, Saturday, February 19, 2011: Public Works Minister M Vijayakumar launched the first phase of the ‘maintenance works of Sabarimala roads’ at a public function held at Vadasserikkara, near Ranni.

Vijayakumar said that the Government had chalked out the road modernization programmes of the Public Works Department with a long-term development perspective.

The proposed ‘heavy maintenance scheme’ for major Sabarimala roads has been planned, ensuring guarantee for the next five years, he said. The Minister said that a total of 24,000 km road length across the State would be developed as per the heavy maintenance scheme. A total of Rs.5, 000 crore would be spent on maintenance of roads this year, he added.

He said that roads played a key role in the development of a region and the present system of annual maintenance of all roads in the State would be modernized, ensuring guarantee for a minimum period of five years, by introducing modern technology.

(News agency)