Team Herald
PANJIM: In all 27 contractors will be debarred from bidding for new road tenders till they repair the existing roads under defect liability period and also 30 engineers have been issued show cause notice and could face vigilance inquiry.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that not a single PWD Minister in last 20 years managed to put things on order.
However, the Opposition has reacted sharply to this saying that this exposes the functioning of PWD minister’s under the BJP “The Chief Minister's statement that in the last 20 years no PWD Minister has put things in order, only proves that the PWD failed under 12 years of BJP rule,” said Sunil Kawthankar, GPCC vice president.
Speaking to reporters, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said that PWD officials have been instructed to issue directives to all contractors to repair any roads damaged during the defect liability period at their own cost by the deadline of November 30. “Until the repairs are completed, the licences of the contractors responsible for these roads will be temporarily suspended, and they will be barred from participating in any new projects,” he said.
“In short, 27 road contractors will be blacklisted till they repair/reinstate the roads and if they fail to take corrective actions then they will be permanently blacklisted. Also 30 PWD engineers have been issued show cause notices so far and disciplinary action will be initiated and penalties will be imposed on negligent officials,” he added.
Stating that the government is contemplating waiting period of three years for road-cutting, Sawant said, “Once a road is constructed, there will be a strict waiting period of minimum three years before any road can be dug up again. Hefty fines will be imposed on stakeholders who violate these rules. Permission to cut or alter newly constructed roads will also incur heavy fees,” he said adding that the PWD is also contemplating of increasing rates for road-cutting activities.
The Chief Minister further disclosed that all engineers who were working with the PWD (roads division) including JEs, AEs, EEs for more than five years, will be transferred and shifted from their current posting,
Contractor Angelo Rodrigues from Margao said, "We repair the roads as per defect liability period. Those who don't do it may be blacklisted. Also engineers in PWD roads division be transferred after completing three years and not after five years."