The Times of India 25.04.2013
Repair city roads by June 30, govt tells urban civic bodies
JAIPUR: Ahead of the assembly elections, the state government is all set to refurbish and renovate roads in all cities, including Jaipur, to garner votes from the urban population.
After chief minister Ashok Gehlot expressed dissatisfaction over the poor condition of roads, the local self governance (LSG) department additional chief secretary GS Sandhu has issued an order to all 185 municipal bodies, including the Jaipur municipal corporation (JMC), to complete road repair work before June 30.
As per a plan, executive engineers have been appointed as nodal officers in each city to carry out repair work of damaged and withered roads.
"The municipal administration will supervise the work and issued tender for the road work. The department has also empowered the mayor and the CEO to spend Rs 2 crore for road repairing work in each municipal corporation area. The municipal council and boards could spend Rs 1 crore and Rs 50 lakh respectively for the same," the additional chief secretary's order read.
The order further said the municipalities will have to spend the relative amount by June 30. "As there is not much time left, directions have been made to all civic bodies to start tender process next month. The deputy directors have been directed to make inspection and tour to the cities to examine the road repairing work and give feedback to ensure vigilance," a senior official said.
"The state government spends a staggering amount every year on construction of roads. However, this is not the solution and drainage system should be improved in every city. Water logging, a malaise that has continued to plague the cities road every monsoon, could become acute in the coming years in the absence of an adequate drainage system," the official said.
The official also said the unplanned manner in which the construction of roads has been taken up is one of the major reasons for lack of an efficient drainage system.
"As there was no integrated plan for development of roads, they were widened in phases that disturbed the drainage system. Now, authorities will face a bigger problem of building drains with no space left on either side of the roads," he added
Financial problems too have added to the woes of the civic authorities struggling to develop a proper drainage system in these cities.
After chief minister Ashok Gehlot expressed dissatisfaction over the poor condition of roads, the local self governance (LSG) department additional chief secretary GS Sandhu has issued an order to all 185 municipal bodies, including the Jaipur municipal corporation (JMC), to complete road repair work before June 30.
As per a plan, executive engineers have been appointed as nodal officers in each city to carry out repair work of damaged and withered roads.
"The municipal administration will supervise the work and issued tender for the road work. The department has also empowered the mayor and the CEO to spend Rs 2 crore for road repairing work in each municipal corporation area. The municipal council and boards could spend Rs 1 crore and Rs 50 lakh respectively for the same," the additional chief secretary's order read.
The order further said the municipalities will have to spend the relative amount by June 30. "As there is not much time left, directions have been made to all civic bodies to start tender process next month. The deputy directors have been directed to make inspection and tour to the cities to examine the road repairing work and give feedback to ensure vigilance," a senior official said.
"The state government spends a staggering amount every year on construction of roads. However, this is not the solution and drainage system should be improved in every city. Water logging, a malaise that has continued to plague the cities road every monsoon, could become acute in the coming years in the absence of an adequate drainage system," the official said.
The official also said the unplanned manner in which the construction of roads has been taken up is one of the major reasons for lack of an efficient drainage system.
"As there was no integrated plan for development of roads, they were widened in phases that disturbed the drainage system. Now, authorities will face a bigger problem of building drains with no space left on either side of the roads," he added
Financial problems too have added to the woes of the civic authorities struggling to develop a proper drainage system in these cities.
