Gandhinagar, July 7 (IANS) With heavy monsoon rains lashing Gujarat and damaging roads across the state, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has directed authorities to carry out repair and restoration work on a war footing.

In a high-level meeting held in Gandhinagar with senior officials from relevant departments, Patel emphasised that road repair work must begin immediately, without waiting for the rains to stop.

Reviewing the condition of rural, urban, and highway roads – including National Highways, State Highways, and Panchayat-owned roads – the Chief Minister called the road network the “backbone of development” and stressed its vital role in daily civilian life.

“Not a single dry day should go wasted. Even holidays must be utilised to speed up the work,” Patel said, adding that contractors must be held accountable for poor work, especially if the damage has occurred within the defect liability period.

He underlined that quality should not be compromised under any circumstances. The meeting was attended by municipal commissioners via video conference.

The Chief Minister instructed civic bodies to carry out emergency repairs in areas facing problems like road damage, waterlogging, and underpass flooding.

He also urged long-term planning to prevent the recurrence of such issues. Patel called for seamless coordination between various agencies, including the NHAI, Road Construction Department, Panchayats, and Municipal Corporations.

He directed field engineers – superintendents, executives, and deputy engineers – to visit affected sites immediately and initiate on-the-spot repairs.

According to a presentation by the Road Construction Department, major repair and structural work are currently underway on around 243 bridges across the state. Diversions are being managed and continuously monitored to ensure traffic flow.

NHAI officials briefed the Chief Minister that of the 83 km of National Highway damaged during this monsoon season, repair work has been completed on 58 km. The remaining 25 km is expected to be restored soon.

Patel reiterated the government’s commitment to restoring public infrastructure swiftly and maintaining high standards.

“People’s lives should not be disrupted due to delays in road repair. Departments must act with urgency and responsibility,” he said.

–IANS

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