Kejriwal gives ultimatum to PWD to fix arterial roads
NEWDELHI: Following complaints over the poor condition of arterial roads in the national capital, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday directed officials of the Public Works Department (PWD) to ensure that all road repair work is completed by the December 15 deadline.
Members of the legislative assembly (MLAS), along with local residents, will carry out road inspections starting December 16, Kejriwal said, and warned that PWD engineers will be held “personally responsible” if roads are found to be in a bad condition.
As Delhi grapples with alarming air pollution levels at this time of the year, the bad condition of roads adds to the problem. Experts say roadside dust and
unburnt hydrocarbon emissions from slow-moving vehicles are major polluters.
In an order dated November 13, a copy of which has been seen by Hindustan Times, Kejriwal said the PWD secretary will have to ensure that all roads are repaired within a month’s time.
“PWD secretary shall be
required to give a certificate on 15th December that all PWD roads have been repaired…. Thereafter, several teams of citizens shall be formed to inspect these roads on 16th December. Each team will be headed by an MLA. The concerned engineers shall be held personally responsible,” the order read.
Officials say that 170-180 kilometres of roads have been repaired since April. Manoj Parida, additional chief secretary in the Delhi government, said, “I have received the CM’S order. I’ll hold a meeting with PWD officials to assess the situation and work out a plan for road repair.”
Delhi government officials aware of the development said the PWD, which is responsible for the upkeep of the arterial road infrastructure, has been receiving complaints about uneven road surfaces, potholes and frequent digging for laying cables for public utilities.
“We have adequate funds; we will try to complete the work at the earliest. We will hold inspections of roads,” said Parida, who has the additional charge of PWD. SD Sharma, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Ghonda, said, “There are several roads in my area which have developed potholes and are in urgent need of repair. I have asked PWD several times to carry out repairs. But they are yet to start the work. GhondaGamri road is one of the few stretches in my constituency that is in urgent need of repair.”
PWD officials admit that there are stretches that are in bad condition and need immediate repair. They say complaints have increased ever since road restoration work has been given to the agency, which cuts the roads for laying utility services.
“Earlier, we used to collect road restoration charges from agencies, which applied for roadcutting, and repaired the road after the work was done. Fourfive months back, it was decided that the agency, which applies for road-cutting, will have to repair the road. In several cases, it has been found that the agencies have not completed the repair work. We have written to some of the agencies to complete the repair work,” said a senior PWD official, requesting anonymity.
Environmentalists say poor condition of roads exacerbates the already deteriorating air quality, as it results in traffic jams or slow movement of traffic. Delays in the repair of roads causes dust pollution, which is one of the major contributors to air pollution. “It is very important that roads are in good condition as re-suspended dust in air is a serious problem. The speed of vehicles gets affected due to bad condition of roads. If vehicles don’t move at a certain speed, it generates unburnt hydrocarbons, which is very dangerous. Regular use of clutch and brakes brings down fuel efficiency,” said D Saha, former head of the air quality lab at the Central Pollution Control Board.
Last year, PWD carried out a massive drive to repair arterial roads in the city. According to a senior PWD official, more than 600km of roads, mainly in South Delhi, were repaired last year. The repair work was undertaken following complaints from residents.