Indiscriminate road cutting to be checked in Hubli, Dharwad

Indiscriminate road cutting to be checked in Hubli, Dharwad
The Hindu

HUBLI: The Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation has decided to put an end to indiscriminate road cutting by user agencies such as the Hubli Electricity Supply Company, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board and cable operators.

According to corporation Commissioner P. Manivannan, either the user agencies, which cut the roads, should repair the roads and bring them to their original shape, or pay whatever charges the corporation levies on them for getting the road repaired.

Mr. Manivannan disclosed this on Wednesday at a coordination meeting of the user agencies, corporation officials and non-governmental organisations forming part of the agenda groups to give advice on improving civic amenities.

The Commissioner said that the corporation is levying a nominal sum before giving permission for road cutting, which is insufficient to cover the cost of repairs. The agencies walk away after damaging the roads. He said that it is imperative that whoever wants permission for road cutting, should ensure that the road is brought back to the original shape.

"Put the road back into the original shape. If the road is horrible, put it back in the horrible shape, but do not make it worse," he said. If the agencies do not repair the roads, they will have to pay the fee fixed by the corporation.

For fixing the road repair charges, the roads will be divided into four categories depending on the importance and density. There is no alternative but to pay the charges fixed. It is open for the user agencies also to make a common arrangement by pooling their resources to get the job done on their own. Practically all the user agencies agreed to the proposal, with BSNL having some reservations earlier before falling in line. .