Private firms defy ban on road digging, restoration delays add to citizens woes

Time of India

6 hours ago

Nagpur: Despite Nagpur Municipal Corporation's (NMC) blanket ban on road digging after June 1, private firms continue to flout orders with impunity, worsening the already fragile condition of city roads just as the monsoon sets in.
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On Monday, TOI spotted workers from a private telecom company digging up the road near Katol Square — the same patch that was excavated last week for laying cables. The Mangalwari zone halted the work then, following a TOI report, but the firm resumed operations using heavy machinery in open defiance of municipal commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari's directive. Other areas where these works are openly being carried out include Narendra Nagar, Manish Nagar, and areas near a high-end hotel on Wardha Road, as well as many internal areas in South and South-West Nagpur.
The ongoing violations also reflect poorly on NMC's public works department, headed by officiating chief engineer Manoj Talewar, which is struggling to enforce the civic chief's diktat. The ban was issued specifically to prevent disruption and ensure smooth vehicular movement during the monsoon. However, the lack of monitoring and repeated breaches exposes administrative gaps within the department responsible for implementation.
Several roads across the city dug up for infrastructure works remain unrestored, compounding the woes of citizens. In the Hudkeshwar-Narsala area, the first heavy rainfall turned large portions of unfinished roads into slushy, hazardous zones. For the past 3-4 months, major sewerage pipeline work under the Rs 900 crore Amrut 2.0 Pora River Pollution Abatement Project has been underway, laying over 500 km of pipelines in South and South-West Nagpur.
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Despite pipeline-laying being completed at many stretches, the roads have not been properly restored. Trenches were only partially filled with loose soil, which has since turned into slippery mud traps. Now, in a token attempt at repair, contractors have merely dumped gravel and crushed stones, making it difficult and unsafe for pedestrians and vehicles alike. Residents fear conditions will worsen with more rain.
"The roads in our locality have become death traps. Repeated complaints to the PHE department and contractors have fallen on deaf ears," said Dhanraj Valukar, chairman of the local residents' committee. Satish Kasare and Mangesh Charde added that the continued neglect has caused multiple vehicle breakdowns and accidents, especially involving two-wheelers.
Another hotspot is the road from Mate Chowk to RPTS Road, where fresh excavation has disrupted traffic flow.
Loose soil has spilled over onto the road, creating a major accident risk.
While the NMC sought technical guidance from Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), which prescribed specific methods for restoring tar and concrete roads after utility work, these guidelines are being routinely ignored. Commissioner Chaudhari has issued an ultimatum to the public health engineering and public works departments, along with contractors, to ensure all dug-up roads are restored to their original condition.
However, the continued violations suggest a serious lack of coordination, enforcement, and accountability.