Get rid of potholes by Oct 10: Yogi to officials

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday directed officials that the ongoing special campaign to eliminate potholes on the state’s roads should be completed by October 10, ahead of the upcoming festivals, including Sharadiya Navratri, Dussehra and Diwali.

During a meeting with various departments, the chief minister emphasised that traffic increases significantly during festivals, with many foreign tourists visiting the state. Adityanath highlighted the “collective responsibility” to ensure that every person has a pleasant experience while walking on the roads, according to an official statement. He also stressed the importance of carrying out pothole repairs and road maintenance with high quality.

While giving instructions to the Mandi Parishad, the chief minister said, “Farmers are the primary users of roads and that their convenience must be prioritised. He directed that roads be constructed using the FDR (full deapth reclamation) method, which conserves natural resources, reduces costs and time, and enhances work quality.”

“All repair and drainage work for roads under the Mandi Samiti be completed within the designated timeframe, with a strong focus on construction quality,” the release quoted him as saying. Additionally, during his communication with officials from National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), he stated that toll taxes should not be collected until the highway construction is fully completed. While reviewing the departmental action plan for the pothole eradication campaign, the chief minister ruled out any shortage of funds for road projects, directing departments to coordinate for better planning.

He instructed all departments to ensure that the road construction agency or contractor assumes responsibility for maintaining the road for the next five years following its completion, according to the statement. “Clear rules and conditions should be set in this regard,” he said.

“The departmental minister and officers should conduct random field visits and review construction projects on a weekly basis. Accountability for the work should also be fixed,” he added.