Kochi roads to get a facelift

KOCHI: With the Kochi Corporation paying the first installment of the amount due to the contractors, the chances have brightened for road repair work under Plan Fund to be completed in a time-bound manner.The Corporation authorities paid Rs 5 crore to the contractors association the other day. The contractors were also promised Rs 10 crore. The amount would be released before September 30.According to the contractors, the civic authorities owe them around Rs 26 crore till January 2011.Mayor Tony Chammany handed over the amount to the contractors. The Corporation contractors were on a strike for three months  demanding the payment of the arrears.As  a result, the Corporation was not able to complete the repair work of the roads before  monsoon. Later, the association called off the strike following the assurance given by the Mayor that the first installment would be paid before Onam.“If the authorities keep their word, we have no objection in undertaking the work. The amount of Rs 5 crore that they have paid now is for the work done and bills claimed in 2009. If they do not pay the next installments soon, the contractors will not be in a financial position to complete the work in a timely manner,” said an office-bearer of the Kochi Corporation Contractors Association.However, the Corporation is planning to complete the patch work on the roads once the rain stops.The civic body hopes to pay the total due amount to the contractors before January 2012, when the tenders for the work under the Plan Fund would be floated.