After Vadodara tragedy, Gujarat govt launches audit of statewide roads, bridges

Gandhinagar, July 15 (IANS) After the Vadodara tragedy that claimed over 12 lives, the Gujarat government has launched a state-wide push for urgent repairs and inspections of roads and bridges.

Acting on Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel's directives, district authorities and municipal corporations have been instructed to take immediate steps to identify and rectify weak infrastructure, ensuring that similar accidents do not recur.

A statewide campaign to repair damaged roads and bridges is now underway at full throttle.

The Chief Minister has made it clear that any lapses in construction or maintenance will not be tolerated, ordering district collectors and senior officials to take strict action against contractors responsible for substandard work.

In Jamnagar, for example, roads that were resurfaced in May 2022, including stretches from Kamdar Colony to Satyam Colony, have already shown signs of damage.

The Municipal Corporation has served notices to the contractors as the roads are still under the Defect Liability Period. Repairs to nearly 1,520 sq. metres of road surface are now being carried out at the contractor's expense under contract clauses 3 and 17.

Similar corrective measures are being taken in Bhavnagar, where a road project between Rammantra Mandir and Dilbahar Water Tank, completed by Om Construction in January 2022, began showing faults. The defective segments were re-carpeted at the contractor’s own cost after intervention by the authorities.

In Junagadh, monsoon rain severely damaged roads across Wards 1 to 15, even though many were still under warranty. Contractors were found to have neglected proper patchwork and surfacing, and had not completed necessary painting or thermoplastic work. The city corporation responded with firm notices, compelling contractors to redo large sections.

Additionally, before the monsoon, Junagadh authorities instructed a private company to halt any fresh excavation of roads for underground drainage and to properly restore already dug-up sections using appropriate materials, rolling, and watering.

Chief Minister Patel has also directed all municipal commissioners, district collectors, and civic heads across Gujarat to conduct immediate and thorough safety inspections of roads, bridges, and related infrastructure in the public interest.