OTHER DEPARTMENTS

BUILDINGS AND COMMUNICATIONS department

Superintending Engineer.

THE SUPERINTENDING ENGINEER, BOMBAY CIRCLE, is the controlling authority and is responsible for the administration and general professional control of all works in charge of the Buildings and Communications Department of the State coming within his juris-diction. Kolaba district comes under the Bombay Circle. The Superintending Engineer inspects the State of various works with-in his Circle and sees that the system of management prevailing is efficient and economical. He is to ascertain the efficiency of the subordinate offices and petty establishments and to see whether the staff employed in his charge in each Division is actually necessary or adequate for management. He also examines the conditions of surveying and mathematical instruments at the head-quarters of the Divisions. In the case of office and establishments borne on Divisional level, he sees that these scales are not exceed-ed without proper authority.

He is empowered to transfer and post Deputy Engineers and Overseers in his Circle. However, in the interest of administration, Executive Engineers of the Divisions are consulted before posting these officers to particular sub-divisional charges under their control. It is also the duty of the Superintending Engineer to recommend removal and transfer of Executive Engineers from his Circle. The supervision and control of assessment of revenue from irrigation works within his Circle rests with the Superintending Engineer. He is authorised to correspond direct with any of the local authorities, civil or military, within his Circle.

Executive Engineer.

The Executive Engineer is responsible to the Superintending Engineer of his Circle for the execution and management of all works within his division. He has to see that proper measures are taken to preserve all buildings and works in his Division and to prevent encroachment on Government lands in his charge. He is responsible to see that the surveying and mathematical instruments in his Division are properly cared for and to report on their condition to the Superintending Engineer at the end of each working season. In addition to his duties he is the ex-officio professional adviser to all Departments of the State Government within the limits of his jurisdiction. Executive Engineer is assisted by the Deputy Engineers and Assistant Engineers who are responsible for the management and execution of works within their jurisdiction. The Assistant Engineers belong to the Maharashtra Service of Engineers, Class I, and Deputy Engineers to Maharashtra Service of Engineers, Class II. These officers are each in charge of "a Sub-division and are, therefore, called Sub-Divisional Officers.

Sub-Divisional Officer.

The Sub-Divisional Officer is assisted by an overseer, who is responsible for the work in his section. The Overseer is further assisted by technical staff such as technical' assistants, mistri, karkuns etc.

Overseers.

Kolaba Division with its headquarters at Alibag was a permanent Division and was in charge of the Executive Engineer, Kolaba Division, working under the Superintending Engineer, Bombay Circle. On formation of Zilla Parishads, the Kolaba Division and the Sub-divisions thereunder (viz., Mahad Sub-division and Kolaba Minor Irrigation Sub-division) have been abolished with a view to make their staff available to Kolaba Zilla Parishad. The Alibag Sub-division is attached to Ratnagiri whereas Panvel Sub-division and Khar Land Development Sub-division, Pen, are placed under the control of Thana Division. The West Coast Road Division No. I started functioning in Kolaba district for improvements to and modernising of Bombay-Konkan-Goa Road (length 96 miles). This is further sub-divided into following temporary Sub-divisions:―

(i) West Coast Road Sub-division I, Pen.

(ii) West Coast Road Sub-division II, Chiplun.

(iii) West Coast Road Sub-division III, Mahad.

(iv) Mechanical Sub-division, Chiplun.

Functions.

Main activities of the Buildings and Communications Department are as under:―

(i) Construction, repairs and maintenance of roads.

(ii) Modernising the wearing surface of roads and bringing them to modern standard.

(iii) Construction of bridges on natural crossings.

(iv) Construction of residential buildings for the staff in Government offices, as also buildings for Government offices.

(v) Development of irrigation works and minor ports.

(vi) Executing reclamation of Khar Land Schemes,

(vii) Technical works concerned with National Extension Scheme Blocks, Local Development Scheme and other Development Schemes,

(viii) Scrutiny of plans and estimates for building works for Education Department in the district.

(ix) To act as professional adviser in engineering matters for all Government Departments in the district.

Roads.

In Kolaba district as on 31-3-1962 the department maintained 344.79 miles of roads, which comprises 32.00 miles of National Highways, 183.81 miles of State Highways, 47.73 miles of Major District Roads, 74.07 miles of Other District Roads and 7.18 miles of village roads.

The surface of these roads is as follows:―

In addition to funds from revenues of the State allocated for expenditure on roads, three other major road funds, viz., Central Road Fund, State Road Fund and Fund under the Coast Road Development Programme are available for construction, repairs and maintenance of roads. From these funds expenditure is incurred in this district.

Khar Land Development.

Khar Land Development Board has been appointed in the district to deal with the problem of stopping the damage of land due to sea water. Buildings and Communications Department is entrusted with framing proposals for Khar Land Development Schemes and executing them under the guidance of the Board. A Special Sub-division at Pen in Thana Division is functioning for execution of these schemes.

Electrical Circle.

For carrying out advisory administrative and executive duties pertaining to the generation and use of electricity, there is the Electrical Circle under the Electrical Engineer to Government. The jurisdiction of this officer extends to the whole of the State. Under him are five Electrical Divisions, each in charge of an Executive Engineer. Out of these two Divisions have their head-quarters at Bombay, two at Poona and one at Nagpur. Kolaba district falls under the jurisdiction of the Bombay Electrical Division, Bombay.

There are four Electricity Supply Undertakings in Kolaba district located at Panvel, Karjat, Matheran and Mahad. Besides these private undertakings, the Maharashtra State Electricity Board has extended its electrification scheme to this district and has electrified some towns and villages.

Public Works Schemes.

Roads.

In what follows are described the various public works schemes Of the District:―

Bridges.

Bridges existing before First Five-Year Plan numbered 23. The number of bridges, constructed during the two Five-Year plans was 12. Bridges under construction are as follows:―

Buildings.

The following building works were taken in hand during the plan period.

Twenty-nine minor irrigation works were constructed during the First and Second Five-Year Plan periods at a cost of Rs 7,00,000.

Minor Irrigation Works.

A medium irrigation work (Raja Nallah Scheme) with the following details is proposed:―

This project will benefit about 20 villages.

West Coast Road.

This is an important artery in Kolaba district starting from Bombay and going to South parallel to the sea coast up to Goa. The Government has decided to modernise this road with cement concrete surface so as to bring it to the standard of a State Highway.

The following figures give details about the scheme:-

Nigade bridge at mile No. 73 of this road had collapsed in the month of June, 1958. Looking to the urgency of and inconvenience to the traffic in the region, a new bridge was constructed in the record time of six months at a cost of Rs. 5,05,000. In the meantime, temporary Bailey bridge was erected which served the traffic needs till the completion of new bridge.

Other Schemes.

Government has sanctioned the following works under two special programmes for development of Konkan region: -

(A) Rupee one crore programme for Konkan region

(B) Black-topping of roads under Community Development Works in Maharashtra

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