Chandigarh (Haryana) [India], September 4 : Haryana Public Works (Buildings and Roads) Minister Ranbir Gangwa on Thursday directed officials to intensify road and bridge repair works across the state following continuous rains, emphasising that public safety must not be compromised under any circumstances.
Chairing an emergency meeting of the Public Works Department (PWD) in Chandigarh, Gangwa reviewed the condition of roads and bridges affected by heavy rainfall. He instructed that deep potholes on roads be filled immediately to prevent accidents. Where repairs cannot be carried out right away, warning signboards must be installed without delay to avert any loss of life or property.
Gangwa said the department must ensure that traffic movement is not disrupted. Wherever waterlogging is reported, permanent solutions such as constructing culverts should be explored so that recurring issues are resolved once and for all. He underlined the importance of regular inspection of bridges and culverts and said that any bridge found to be unsafe should be reported to the headquarters without delay.
The Minister further directed that all field staff remain deployed on duty. The leaves of officers and employees, including Junior Engineers (JEs) and Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs), have been cancelled with immediate effect. He stressed that every officer must stay in the field, send regular reports to the headquarters, and remain available on mobile phones to address public complaints promptly. Officials informed the meeting that builders had already been deployed on duty, and machinery such as JCBs was being kept ready to handle road repair and dewatering operations.
Gangwa also cautioned that once the rains subside, road conditions may deteriorate further due to heavy traffic flow, and hence advance mapping of roads requiring urgent repair must be prepared. He made it clear that no compromise on quality would be tolerated in repair and maintenance works. All complaints received through the Harpath app and other channels must be resolved promptly, he said, adding that delays in addressing public grievances will not be acceptable.
The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary, PW (B&R), Anurag Agarwal, Chief Engineers Anil Dahiya and Rajiv Yadav, along with senior officials. Superintending Engineers, Executive Engineers, SDOs, and JEs from across Haryana joined the meeting virtually.
Reiterating the state government's commitment to public safety, Gangwa directed district-level officials to remain vigilant and proactive, ensuring that immediate measures are taken to safeguard commuters on rain-affected roads.