Panaji: The Chief Minister chaired a high-level meeting with officials from the Public Works Department (PWD), Electricity Department, Water Resources Department (WRD), and the Finance Secretary to address pressing issues in road infrastructure across the state. During the meeting, the Chief Minister instructed the PWD to ensure that all contractors repair damaged roads during the Defect Liability Period (DLP) by November 30, 2024. Contractors who fail to meet this deadline will face temporary suspension of their licenses and will be barred from participating in any new projects.
Additionally, the Chief Minister directed that disciplinary action be taken against officials who have neglected road construction and maintenance quality. Engineers who failed to submit long-term and short-term project estimates have already been issued double show-cause notices, with further action pending. Negligent officials will face both minor and major penalties for their lapses.
Emphasizing the need for accountability, the Chief Minister stressed that all roads must be motorable by November 2024, and contractors will be held responsible for monitoring and maintaining roads throughout the DLP. Engineers and contractors alike will be held liable for any failures in road quality during this period.
The state will also expedite the repair of 1,200 kilometers of roads damaged due to infrastructure projects, including the laying of underground power cables, water pipelines, and sewerage systems, which fall outside the DLP. Furthermore, the PWD will soon issue a notification outlining increased rates for road-cutting activities. Once a road is constructed, a strict three-year waiting period will be imposed before any digging or alteration can be carried out, with heavy fines for violations.
To ensure better coordination between infrastructure-related departments, a one-month deadline has been set for completing any pending works on roads slated for fresh asphalting. The timeline will be made publicly available for transparency. To address longstanding issues in departmental coordination, the government has introduced a GIS-based system that will streamline the process of road construction and related activities, preventing the unnecessary damage of newly constructed roads by ensuring that essential works such as water, electricity, and sewerage pipelines are completed beforehand.
In a move to foster accountability and introduce fresh perspectives, all Executive Engineers, Assistant Engineers, and Junior Engineers who have held positions in the Roads Division for over five years will be reassigned to other departments. This rotation aims to improve performance and enhance the quality of road infrastructure across the state.
