Whenever any part of the pavement between the tracks and eighteen inches outside thereof on any street upon which is located the tracks of any street railway or traction company has heretofore been or shall hereafter be damaged by reason of the operation of the street cars over such tracks and the street railway or traction company on March twenty-third, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-seven, was obligated to repair such damage and fails so to do, any state board or political subdivision of the state having control of the street may apply to the board of public utility commissioners for an order directing the company to repair said pavement to the extent that it may have been so damaged. The board of public utility commissioners is hereby given jurisdiction to hear and determine the matter and to make such order in accordance herewith as in its judgment may be just and reasonable.