Eradicate potholes from all roads across state by Oct 10: CM Yogi

LUCKNOW: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has directed that the ongoing special campaign to eliminate potholes on the state’s roads be completed by October 10, ahead of the upcoming festivals, including Sharadiya Navratri, Dussehra, and Diwali.
During a meeting with various departments on Tuesday, the chief minister emphasised collective responsibility to ensure that everyone, including foreign tourists visiting the state during the festivities, has a pleasant experience while walking on the roads.
He instructed the officials that roads be constructed using the Full Depth Reclamation (FDR) method, which conserves natural resources, reduces costs and time, and improves work quality.
The chief minister also insisted that all repair and drainage work for roads under the Mandi Samiti be completed within the designated timeframe, with a strong emphasis on construction quality. Additionally, during his communication with officials from NHAI, he stated that toll taxes should not be collected until highway construction is fully completed.
While reviewing the departmental action plan for the pothole eradication campaign, the chief minister assured that there would be no shortage of funds for road projects and directed departments to coordinate for better planning.
He instructed all departments to ensure that the road construction agency or contractor assumes responsibility for maintaining the road for the next five years following its completion and accountability for the work should also be fixed.
He noted that poorly executed roadwork increases the risk of accidents and emphasised that proper repairs must be carried out after laying sewer lines and pipelines. He also pointed out that high speed breakers can lead to accidents, recommending the construction of table-top speed breakers to enhance road safety.
He stressed the importance of geo-tagging the campaign and linking it with the PM Gatishakti portal. Additionally, he directed that a dedicated portal be developed for continuous monitoring of work quality.
The chief minister instructed officials to prepare an action plan for the repair of roads constructed under MP and MLA funds.
He also stated that the sugarcane department should oversee the repair of buildings belonging to the sugarcane committee and schools. Noting that the concept of village secretariats has been recognised by the Central government as a model for the state, he further directed that the offices of the sugarcane committee be upgraded in line with these secretariats.
A proposal should be developed to provide essential facilities such as drinking water, toilets, and canteens through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in Mandi Samiti and industrial establishments across all district headquarters in the state. Women self-help groups should be involved in this initiative.
The chief minister stated that the concept of smart roads should be promoted in key locations within Nagar Panchayats, Municipal Corporations, and Municipal Councils across all districts. He recommended the installation of similar facade lights on smart roads and urged the Urban Development Department to ensure uniformity in facade lighting throughout the cities.
He said that urbanisation is continuously expanding in the state and stressed that illegal colonies should not be allowed to develop under any circumstances. He instructed that the handover of new colonies should only occur after confirming the availability of essential facilities such as roads, electricity, and water.