With less than three weeks left for the annual pilgrimage season in Sabarimala to begin, Health Minister Veena George has directed the Public Works department to complete the road repair works in Pathanamthitta district on a war footing.
Attending a meeting of the District Development Committee (DDC) on Saturday, the Minister also directed to complete renovation of the Ezhamkulam-Kaipattoor road and the roads within the Pathanamthitta city limits at the earliest. As to the delay in completing the flyover at Aban junction, the Minister said that a meeting of land owners in the location would soon be convened to break the deadlock.
T. Zakir Hussain, chairperson of the Pathanamthitta municipality, urged the DDC to install direction boards for the Sabarimala pilgrims in various languages at different points. Mathew T. Thomas, MLA, district panchayat president Omalloor Sankaran and District Collector A. Shibu were also present.
Meanwhile, a similar meeting held in Kottayam called for a study to reduce the road accidents taking place along the Erumely-Sabarimala route. The study, being initiated in view of the recurring accidents at Attivalavu near Kanamala, will be carried out by a joint team of Road Transport Office, National Highways and Road Safety departments.
The meeting also sought immediate action to cut down the trees that posed a risk to public safety. The direction comes in view of the incident in which a tree near the Kottayam collectorate was uprooted onto a public road the other day. The meeting also emphasised on the need to intensify the activities in connection with the garbage-free Kerala campaign.
Addressing the meeting, Government Chief Whip N. Jayaraj also sought to pay up the dues incurred in connection with the acquisition of land for establishing the Karimbukkayam drinking water scheme.
