CM favours software for constant monitoring of road conditions 

Directs field-level engineers to gather data on damaged roads in different parts of the State

November 17, 2022 10:02 pm | Updated 10:02 pm IST - HYDERABAD

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has directed Roads and Buildings department officials to develop a software on the lines of Irrigation department for continuous monitoring of the condition of roads across the State.

The Chief Minister wanted officials concerned to accord top priority to repair of roads damaged by floods and heavy rains and set the deadline of January second week for completing road repairs. Accordingly, field-level engineers were directed to collect information pertaining to the damaged roads in different parts of the State.

“The State has achieved significant progress and has been making rapid strides in all sectors since its formation. The use of tractors and harvesters is increasing because of the thrust laid on the agriculture sector. Farmers’ families are affording two- and four-wheelers and this is mounting pressure on the roads. The department should take steps to meet the ever- increasing traffic as a challenge and take steps accordingly,” the Chief Minister said.

Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao conducted a detailed review meeting with officials of Roads & Buildings and Panchayat Raj departments on Thursday. Given the significant increase in the vehicular traffic, it was the responsibility of the departments for maintaining and strengthening road network for the convenience of commuters, he said.

He advised the departments to make sure that maintenance of roads was a continuous process and engineers concerned were directed to divide works among them in this direction. Special training centres should be established for the purpose and workshops should be conducted from time to time to keep pace with requirements. He wanted the officials concerned to focus on repairs to roads which were subjected to pressure because of the growing vehicular traffic and the progress of works should be a continuous process.

The State registered manifold growth in its own resources as well as the spree of development programmes being undertaken and officials concerned should ensure that adequate staff was put in place to meet the requirements of this “qualitative change”. He wanted the officials to take steps to decentralise powers so that they could meet the requirements for emerging situations.

The Chief Minister was particular that engineers concerned should think out of box, not traditionally, to keep roads up to date and it was the responsibility of the R&B and Panchayat Raj departments to make sure that the roads were maintained properly in spite of the huge growth in vehicular traffic. “The departments should introduce administrative reforms to strengthen their functioning. They can appoint additional engineers in this direction,” he said.

Mr. Rao favoured appointment of officers in the cadre of engineers-in-chief for the R&B department for supervising works and wanted appointment of territorial superintending engineers for every five to six Assembly constituencies. “The departments should think about the requirement of superintending and executive engineers to meet the work requirements,” he said.

He wanted the department to submit report relating to decentralisation of works in the two departments soon so that it could be discussed in the next Cabinet meeting and necessary approvals were given.

He directed the officials concerned to ensure that estimates relating to works on the flood damaged roads and other maintenance works were prepared by the department. The departments should take steps to call for tenders for taking up works on the damaged roads within a week and asked officials to follow rules in terms of stipulations that should be followed relating to tractor drivers. In respect of Panchayat Raj roads, the Chief Minister instructed the department to ensure close coordination with the Forest department while dealing with roads which required the latter’s clearance.

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