By Our Correspondent
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reviewed the updated status of various projects of the Public Works Department on Thursday, emphasizing the importance of ensuring timeliness and quality in construction works. Key directives provided by the Chief Minister during the meeting were:
● Over the past seven years, the state has witnessed exceptional growth in its road network. Since 2017, the state highway has expanded from 7002 km to 10214 km as of 2024, and rural roads have increased from 1,87,517 km to 1,93,581 km. Similarly, the network of major district roads and other district roads has also expanded. Today, on average, 09 km of roads are being widened/strengthened every day in the state and about 11 km of new roads are being built in the villages every day. Given the crucial role of connectivity in fostering development, this pace of road construction sets a new benchmark, prompting further efforts to enhance it.
● All bridges in the state that have reached the age of 50 years must undergo a thorough inspection. This inspection should meticulously examine the condition of their superstructure/pier, blockage in the waterway of the bridges, scour holes on the side of the pier, and the abutment slope and boulders of the bridge. If any bridge is found to be unsafe during inspection, it should be promptly closed to traffic. Local district administrations must be informed accordingly.
● Before the upcoming Kanwar Yatra, the roads connected to it in the districts should be made 100% pothole-free. This task should be accomplished by July 15th. Additionally, measures should be taken to ensure adequate drainage at locations prone to waterlogging.
● The commitment to provide two-lane road connectivity to block headquarters must be met within the designated timeframe. It is commendable that construction has been finished on 143 out of 165 roads; efforts should be accelerated to complete the remaining projects promptly.
● Accelerate the construction of grand gates on roads situated along interstate and international borders of the state. Coordinate with local authorities promptly in cases where land availability is an issue. These gates should be constructed directly on the borders, designed attractively with adequate lighting provisions.
● It is commendable that UP PWD was the first to use FDR construction technology in the country. In the Unnao district, FDR work was done by recycling the old road and providing cemented base and in Kanpur Dehat, construction work was done by using additives. This was a good experiment. Our effort should be that half of the total other district roads should be built with this technology. Adopt innovations.
● Keeping in view the increase in the current PCU on the road every year, the standards of widening of various categories of roads in the state should be further improved. Wider roads will enhance traffic convenience. Immediate repairs should be conducted if erosion occurs on newly constructed roads due to rain.
● Whether it’s road and bridge projects or other constructions benefiting the public, their significance must be evaluated before approval. Balance is most important in development. First, examine the need, decide the priority, and then approve the construction of a road or bridge on the basis of merit. It’s crucial that all 75 districts benefit from development initiatives.
● It is commendable that in the past 7 years, the State Bridge Corporation has successfully completed 395 projects of public interest, including 270 river bridges, 115 railway overbridges (ROBs), and 10 flyovers. Experts should be deployed in the Bridge Corporation, Public Works Department and Rajkiya Nirman Nigam. There should be no shortage of human resources anywhere. Emphasize capacity building and foster collaborations with institutions like IITs.
● Ensuring timeliness and maintaining high quality in every project is mandatory. This includes finalizing the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and strictly adhering to the scheduled start and completion dates of the work.
