Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh): In view of facilitating ease of movement, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has given instructions to run a massive campaign for pothole-free roads in the state.
In the high-level meeting convened on Thursday, the Chief Minister gave necessary directions regarding the said campaign. In the meeting, the Chief Minister also reviewed the preparations for the 81st session of the Indian Road Congress to be held in Lucknow from Saturday.
“Better connectivity is the vehicle of progress. Under the guidance of the Prime Minister, unprecedented work has been done in this field in the last five years. Today there is good road connectivity to remote villages. There is a network of excellent roads till the border areas benefitting the people of the state directly,” stated an official release.
Along with the construction of the road, its maintenance should also be taken care of. It is also necessary to repair the roads from time to time. As the rainy season is in its final stages, road repair works and pothole-clearing can be done now.
“All the departments related to road construction including PWD, Urban Development, Irrigation, Housing and Urban Planning, Rural Development, Rural Engineering, Sugarcane Development and Industrial Development should prepare a comprehensive action plan in this regard. It is necessary to have good roads in industrial areas and agricultural market areas. Special attention should be given to this. This campaign to rid roads of potholes should be completed by November 15,” stated further.
It was also stated that whether a person lives in a village or in a metro city, good roads, better connectivity is his right. Therefore, roads must be good, whether it is of single lane or of two, four or six lanes. It should be ensured that road construction projects are completed on time. Their quality should also be checked from time to time. In cases of negligence or substandard roads, accountability should be fixed with a policy of zero tolerance.
The cooperation of private sector investors should be sought in road construction. The Uttar Pradesh State Highway Authority (UPSHA) should prepare an action plan for the construction of good quality roads on PPP mode.
“Ministers of the Government of India will have a dignified presence in the 81st session of the Indian Road Congress (IRC) to be held from October 08, hosted by Uttar Pradesh. In addition, 1500 representatives of national and international organizations/companies involved in road construction are going to participate. All the preparations should be completed on time to make this convention unforgettable for the delegates” stated the release.
Lastly, it was stated that before 2017 there was only one expressway while there are six expressways now in the state. National Highways have also almost doubled as compared to 5 years ago. The border area has excellent connectivity.
“Keeping in view the need of the future, there is a need for widening and strengthening of various state highways of the state. In such a situation, while marking the roads, necessary proposals regarding their upgradation and widening as national highways should be prepared and sent to the Government of India,” further stated.
