Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Public Works Department (PWD) has recently taken action on the issue of deteriorating roads.
According to information, the PWD is focusing on replacing damaged asphalt roads with cement concrete ones. In Bhopal, there are 268 PWD roads spanning 573 kilometers. Out of these, 400 kilometers are under performance guarantee and 173 kilometers require regular maintenance. During recent rains, potholes were found on 22 kilometers of 14 roads, and repairs are underway.
Chief Engineer R.K. Mehra stated that most of the roads are asphalt, which get damaged during heavy rains due to poor drainage. While complete repairs are not possible during the rainy season, they are currently filling potholes to ease travel.
Chief Engineer Sanjay Maske noted that compared to the municipal corporation's roads, which span over 4,000 kilometers and are in worse condition due to rain, PWD roads are fewer in number. Some roads with potholes have been repaired with paver blocks.
To improve repair efficiency, the PWD has launched the Lok Path mobile app, allowing people to upload photos of potholes and file complaints. So far, 1,868 complaints have been received, with 1,662 resolved. The department has used advanced techniques like jet patching and infrared technology for road maintenance and plans to use white topping to prevent frequent damage in urban areas.
PWD Minister Rakesh Singh has reviewed the damage and instructed officials to conduct a one-week repair campaign for roads, shoulders, and bridges. He also emphasized the need for engineers to certify that all repairable roads in their areas have been addressed.
