Pothole-ridden roads in Vadodara: VMC gives week’s time to contractors to complete repair work

The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) meeting came a day after Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel expressed disapproval over the conditions of the roads across the state.

Babu told The Indian Express, “I took a review meeting of all the contractors involved in the road, drainage and water works. We have assessed that most of the potholes in the city are not because of the road department but because of the drainage and water department works, where roads were opened up for laying drainage or water lines. Then they (these departments) were not able to completely repair it, which is part of their scope of work. That is because it takes more time for the settlement of repaired roads and the monsoons had already arrived…”

Stating that the contractors have been given a week to complete the repair work, Babu said, “After reviewing the situation, we have given one week to the contractors to repair the roads so that all the engineers can ensure it is completed. What they do is fill a mixture of hot mix and cold mix and not even roll it well… Because if the defect liability period is five years, they have to adhere to it. We have strictly told them that if it is not done that way, we have to deduct the penalty. If the contractors are blacklisted three times, we will follow the further process…”

Babu said that 11 notices have been issued to deputy engineers in the city, including two notices of Zones on Monday. “These engineers will now issue notices to respective contractors and take penalty from them… The issue is at the same scale in almost every zone. I have also asked for detailed reports from the executive engineers. The deputy engineers will certify the reasons…,” said Babu.

Babu added: “Of the nine notices issued last week, four were issued to the water and drainage departments. There can be a coordination issue, not blame games. The work should be to the satisfaction of the people, not the engineers…”

Babu also confirmed that the VMC has contacted several “experts” from across the country to recommend long-term solutions. “A team of the Department of Hydrology of IIT Roorkee is visiting Vadodara to evaluate the long-term projects for developing an integrated drainage and ground water management programme for the city… We are also calling experts like infrastructure companies such as Tata Projects, L&T and IRB to see how RCC (Reinforced Cement Concrete) roads can be planned for Vadodara as a long term solution. Even if it costs more, it will improve the quality of roads… we are trying to understand their working model,” Babu said.

NHAI undertakes repair work

Days after a 15-kilometer stretch near Vadodara city of the NH48 highway connecting Ahmedabad to Mumbai witnessed a massive traffic jam following heavily damaged roads due to the onset of monsoon, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has undertaken the repair work between Vadodara to Bharuch for resurfacing the stretch from Jambuva and Por in Vadodara district to the Narmada bridge in Bharuch.

Officials said that NHAI has deployed 63 machines, including 21 tractors and over a hundred labourers to expedite the recarpeting of the highway, which is a major mode of transport between Gujarat and Maharashtra.

The NHAI has also deployed an emergency response team to ensure that traffic movement can be managed smoothly along with the repair work that is being carried out round-the-clock.