Bumpy ride ahead for IFFK delegates

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The city is gearing up to host the 16th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK). The event, which attracts national and international film lovers to city, will be held in December. However, the condition of the roads leading to the main venues will put the city to shame. The Bakery Junction - Thampanoor road, in front of the Kairali-Sree Theatres, is in a totally dilapidated state. With the onset of the north-east monsoon, water-filled potholes are more visible than the tarred road.   The condition of the road was the same last year too. It was on the request of the then PWD Minister M Vijayakumar that the Thiruvananthapuram Road Development Company Limited, concessionaire of the City Road Improvement Project, did a temporary makeover of the Bakery Junction-Thampanoor road. This work just ahead of the IFFK 2010 was a face-saver. TRDCL had spent Rs 47 lakh then. Sadly, the roads are again in a bad shape. When contacted, Anil Kumar Pandala, project director of CRIP, said JICA-assisted water works and the Kerala Water Authority’s sewerage works were delaying the road works. “Last year, we tarred the road on the request of the Minister. The works of KWA and JICA-assisted water works are indefinitely delaying us. We can start the road work only after their works are over,” he said.A portion of drainage was dismantled following the JICA works. The KWA is constructing the drainage on the stretch. The work will continue for another month, said Krishnakumar, superintending engineer of KWA.  Meanwhile, JICA officials refuted the TRDCL’s allegations that they were responsible for the delay in the works. “We have completed the works up to Sreekumar Theatre. The TRDCL could have completed the Model School-Aristo Junction stretch. Issues related to some land acquisition are responsible for delay in the road work,” JICA official Sreekumaran Nair said. However, he said that there was no specific deadline for the remaining JICA work on the Aristo-Parthas stretch. The Kerala Road Fund Board is yet to sort out some issues related to land acquisition and removal of a transformer at the Aristo Junction.