Chelyabinsk moves towards good roads

The Ministry for Construction, Infrastructure and Roads of the Chelyabinsk region continues to implement the recently updated regional development strategy before 2020 to save budget funds while increasing the volume and quality of work.

According to Boris Dubrovsky, the key to success in the implementation of the Development Strategy is improving the road sector. After all, good quality roads are vital for the development and successful work of the economy and social sphere. The region allocates considerable funds for the industry - nearly ten billion rubles every year, which is a very significant amount in regional scale.

Requirements for the quality of executed works will be raised. Many municipalities have already strengthened control over contractors. Not that long ago, in Zlatoust, negligent builders were forced to rebuild poor-quality roads.
"This is a good intention, Marseille Bikbau, an academician at the Academy of Natural Sciences, General Director of JSC Moscow IMET, Director of the Institute of Materials Science and Efficient Technologies, told Pravda.Ru. - I do not know any case, when someone would be punished for bad work," he said.

From 2015, the Chelyabinsk region will proceed to a new principle of relationship with road sector companies. Contractors will bear full responsibility for the quality of work performed. Therefore, in case of defects or violation of liabilities, it is the contractor, not the regional budget that will have to carry the financial burden.

"Certainly, it will help. Today, the shortcomings that we have after road construction, appear due to contractor's irresponsibility, - said Oleg Valenchuk, member of the State Duma Committee for Land Relations and Construction. - Contractors must understand what they are accountable for," the expert told Pravda.Ru.

When deciding on the construction and repairs of roads, one needs to take local residents' opinions into consideration, Boris Dubrovsky believes.

"Certainly, it is important to have feedback from people. They use these roads, and they can say what kind of roads they have. The state pays the contractor, and people wait for roads to be built, so this initiative of the Chelyabinsk region is very indicative," Oleg Valenchuk said.