Public infrastructure

The Public Infrastructure Department of the Moka District Council is responsible amongst others, for the following main services:-

1. Construction and maintenance of non-classified roads;
2. Construction and repair of surface water drains on non-classified roads;
3. Construction, care, maintenance and improvement of public lighting in the towns, including motorways & main roads;
4. Maintenance of traffic signs and roadmarking, including name plates on urban roads;
5. Design, supervision and management of building and civil engineering projects undertaken by in-house labour or Contractors;
6. Fixing of decorations for social, sports and religious activities;
7. Repairs and maintenance of fleet of the Council vehicles and plants;
8. Processing of building permits and morcellement applications;
9. Implementation and maintenance of infrastructural projects related to buildings, roads, bridges, drains, pavements, lighting, playgrounds, sports grounds, social halls, traffic centres, markets, fairs, crematoriums, exhibition halls, art galleries, public libraries, green spaces, gardens and playgrounds etc.;
10. Maintenance of infrastructural assets of the Council.

The responsibilities of the Head Works Department and the technical team demands adequate technical skills, knowledge and experience in the field of engineering. Additionally they are required to keep pace with the moving trends and new development in technologies taking place in the construction industry. On the other hand, with the ever growing gap between demand and availability of resources there is need to demonstrate skills and ability to detect least cost engineering solutions to cut down project costs and improve returns, be it on economical or on social grounds.

Today’s trend in the construction industry call for a more dynamic environment where there is a well balanced mix of the non desirable permanent hard structures and the living and green environment. To be able to meet the challenge one cannot rely on acquired skills and experience. A thorough and continuous learning program should be developed and followed as an added value to the already acquired knowledge and experience. This can only be achieved by the selection of a set of well-defined training scheme.

A list of areas where training is desired in given below:

• Flood and stormwater mitigation and management;
• New development and innovative technological methods for low cost engineering solutions in the building and civil engineering industry;
• New structural design methods for low cost building and civil engineering structures;
• New approach to hydraulic and hydrological engineering;
• Revisiting the equilibrium between factor of safety and cost in construction design;
• New development in geotechnical engineering.

As per road hierarchy, the existing roads in a town are classified as follows:-

1. motorways and main roads
2. urban roads
3. private roads

Item (i) is under the jurisdiction of the Road Development Authority as they are of national strategic importance.

Item (ii) is under the responsibility of the Moka District Council and constitutes the major part of roads in the district villages.

Item (iii) represents accesses which are controlled by individual plot owners who can control their entry, exit and overall use.

The maintenance of unclassified roads through cleansing, tarring and patching forms part of the main statutory duties performed by the Moka District Council. The Council also attend to the construction of new roads. Requests are often received for the conversion of roads from private to public, the naming of roads or the fixing of nameplates. All procedures to that effect are followed to ascertain that there is no objection by placing notices in order to allow the public to object if they so wish, in cases where roads are being declared public. The Council also considers applications from members of the public for the partial or total closure of roads for private purposes e.g. Wedding, Religious Ceremonies etc. These applications are subject to the payment of appropriate fees and clearance from the Police Authority.

The Public Infrastructure Department is responsible for the care and maintenance of traffic signs and road markings on non-classified roads. Fixing of traffic signs and road markings are carried out for the first time by the Traffic Management and Road Safety Unit. Thereafter they are maintained by the Public Infrastructure Department.

The control, care, management and maintenance of drains is another major responsibility of the Council that equally attend to the construction of drains along non classified roads (i.e. roads not falling under the responsibility of the Road Development Authority). Requests for construction of new drains or to have obstructed drains cleaned and cleared in flood prone areas is a regular feature in the local government.

The existing drains network consists of covered drains, open masonry drains and earth drains. Obstruction of a drain or its diversion without authorization is an offence condemnable by law as drains are considered to be “domaine public.”

Any property owner wishing to cover a drain crossing his land for security purposes needs to have the Council authorization of property owners bordering a natural drain to ensure its upkeep and good functioning.

Upkeep of the network is covered by a cyclic maintenance programme by a team of drain cleaners. The covering of drains or construction of drains in concrete is carried out under a capital programme on a yearly basis.

Upon receipt of requests or complaints, site visits are effected by the responsible inspector and reports are prepared and submitted to the Head Public Infrastructure Department.

For minor repairs, the works are included in the program of works and carried out by the respective section.

For major works such as asphalting of roads, construction of drains and installation of lanterns, recommendations of the Head Public Infrastructure Department are forwarded to the Works Committee for approval.

Drain and road works that have been approved are either done by in-house labour or by Contractors and street lighting works are done by in-house labour.

The Moka District Council is responsible for the provision and maintenance of street lighting falling under its jurisdiction. We are also responsible for the maintenance of lighting of all motorways and main roads falling under our jurisdiction subject to the Road Act. Improvement to be brought to street lighting is also considered.

Additional lighting points are often provided and needful done with the Central Electricity Board for the fixing of new street lighting poles and conductors.

Request for the fixing of new lanterns from the inhabitants is a regular feature in Local Authorities.

Street Lighting Supervisors have the duty to carry out random checks and ascertain that street lamps/lanterns are in good order. Nevertheless, it happens that the public notifies the Councils about the existence of defective lanterns. Due attention is paid by the latter for the repair or replacement of the said defective lanterns.

The town is serviced by street lighting lanterns and covers almost all the built-up area of all villages in Moka. In view of the expansion due to modernization and construction of new morcellements and commercial centres, this service requires a consistent review, providing for the need of the citizens. A yearly upgrading programme is scheduled to replace the old fluorescent lanterns by more efficient and effective sodium vapour and lamps.

The Department fully subscribes itself to the vision of Government for a “Maurice Ile durable”. In that respect, sodium street lanterns are being gradually replaced by CFL lamps in an attempt to save energy thereby reducing our electricity bill. Additionally, the Works Department ensures that henceforth property developers provide such street facilities prior to clearances being issued in respect of Morcellement Projects.

The Building Maintenance Section is responsible for the regular maintenance of all Council Buildings and includes plumbing, joinery, metal, masonry and painting works.

The following infrastructure belonging to the Moka District Council is regularly maintained by in-house labour:

1. District Council Head Office Building
2. District Council Sub Office at Central Flacq / Library
3. Workshop and Store including stock at hand at Quartier Militaire
4. Market and open fairs : Saint Pierre, Quartier Militaire, Dagotiere and Montagne Blanche
5. Village Halls and Sub-Halls
6. Salle des Fetes, Quartier Militaire
7. Cemetery Office and Store: Montagne Blanche, Alma, L’Esperance and Circonstance, St Pierre
8. Cloakroom at Montagne Blanche
9. Multipurpose Building at St Pierre

There are two Committees appointed by the Council to look into main matters pertaining to the department

1. The Works Committee deliberates under delegated powers on matters regarding non-classified roads, drains, street lighting, District Council gardens/parks and buildings.
2. The Projects, Plan and Development committee deliberates under delegated powers on matters pertaining to the follow-up of all capital projects undertaken by the council and other joint projects with the Ministry of Environment and NDU.

The Head of the Public Infrastructure Department also advises the Council on engineering matters and the implementation and application of the Roads Act, the Building Control Act (2012) and the Local Government Act (2011) and attends other Council commitees such as the Council meetings, Executive Committees, Planning and Business Monitoring Committees and Procurement Committees.