6,072 complaints received in PWD app since launch this month

492 of them already addressed: Riyas

As many as 6,072 complaints have been received from the public in the PWD 4U mobile application, since its launch earlier this month, with 492 of them already being addressed and action being taken on the rest, Minister for Public Works and Tourism P.A. Mohammed Riyas has said.

Speaking at a meet the press event organised by the Kerala Union of Working Journalists and the Kesari Memorial Journalists’ Trust, he said that only 4,054 of the complaints received were related to PWD, while the rest were regarding roads maintained by local bodies.

“Our interventions after taking charge have been with an aim to bring the people closer to the department. The response to all these initiatives have been positive. The existing control room has been expanded with a constant connect to the Minister’s office for real-time reporting of issues and follow-up. The control room will also look at complaints through social media. An one hour phone-in programme of the Minister is being organised weekly in the control room. Another focus has been to go to the ground, conduct site inspections and get feedback. I have completed such visits to 11 districts, with 3 more remaining,” said Mr.Riyas.

He said measures are being taken to remove all the seized and abandoned vehicles along the roads, which have been causing obstruction to traffic.

Recently, 42 such vehicles were removed from Nallalam in Kozhikode district. PWD officials have also been asked to carry out a survey of the land at its disposal to identify encroachments. Complaints have been received regarding illegal hoardings and bus shelters built by some private advertising agencies without permission from the PWD or the respective local body.

Regarding the road connectivity from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod, he said that the previous LDF government had solved the bottlenecks at Alappuzha and Kollam. A few are remaining in the route from Thrissur to Kasaragod. A section of the Kuthiran Tunnel Road is expected to be opened on August 1. The Department has also decided to give a facelift to the 154 PWD rest houses in the State. These will be made more accessible to the public, with easier online booking facilities, better restaurants and construction of comfort stations attached to them.

The internal vigilance mechanism in the PWD will be strengthened to crackdown on corrupt practices. Steps will be taken for more co-ordination with other departments to ensure that tar cutting for utility line works are carried out before fresh tarring work.

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