Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], July 15 : Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has initiated round-the-clock, top-priority restoration work to repair roads damaged by heavy monsoon rains across National Highways, State Highways, and roads in villages, towns, and cities.
He reviewed the ongoing repair works of roads and bridges across the state through the video wall of the CM Dashboard, according to an official statement by the CM's office.
"The repair instructions based on the pre-monsoon inspection of roads, bridges, culverts, and causeways must be implemented strictly with no lapses or negligence," the Chief Minister stated.
He instructed officials to adopt a proactive approach to road repairs to ensure not only the quick restoration of traffic movement and the immediate redressal of citizens' complaints, with top priority given to road maintenance.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister directed engineers and officials to ensure that no complaint, however small, remains unresolved and that repair works are prioritised to prevent the public from facing any inconvenience.
He specifically emphasised that all citizen complaints received through the Roads and Buildings Department's 24x7 control room, the 'GujMarg' mobile app, municipal apps, WhatsApp, websites, helpline numbers, City Civic Centres, and Command & Control Centres must be addressed promptly and satisfactorily, with active monitoring by the concerned officials to ensure swift resolution.
Principal Secretary of Urban Development M Thennarasan outlined the mechanism established for the prompt redressal of citizens' complaints in urban areas, highlighting that out of 15,424 complaints received from metropolitan cities, 12,023 have been successfully resolved.
The Chief Minister directed that regular follow-ups and field checks for complaints received on the e-Nagar portal be conducted with the help of expert agencies.
Out of the 3,632 complaints received via the 'GujMarg' app of the Roads and Buildings Department, 99.66% have been resolved, according to the state government.
The numbers were presented to the Chief Minister by Roads and Buildings Secretary PR Patelia. Under the direct guidance of the Chief Minister, due to widespread publicity and positive public response, the number of users on the 'GujMarg' app increased from 10,767 to 28,449 in just 3 days.
"Thus, 17,682 new citizens registered on the app -- a 164% increase. The state government is continuing its awareness campaigns to promote the app's usage," the statement read.
The Chief Minister directed that all ongoing repair works be closely monitored through field visits by officers, local authorities, and district administrations. He instructed thorough inspection and prompt repair of bridges closed for safety, with strict quality checks. For bridges with diverted traffic, he emphasised ensuring safe alternate routes and smooth traffic flow.
He further stressed that repairs must continue without interruption, and citizen convenience must be prioritised. On rain-free days, additional manpower should be deployed to expedite road and bridge restoration.
Chief Minister guided that sufficient materials like gravel, bitumen, machinery, and white-topping supplies for repair work should be organised at the district, city, and municipal levels under the coordination of the state's Roads and Buildings Department.