MC floats `49.89-lakh tender to repair potholes ahead of peak monsoon season

Indian Express

06-07-2025

The Municipal Corporation (MC) of Chandigarh has floated a tender worth Rs 49.89 lakh for the repair of potholes and damaged patches on various roads falling under Road Division No. 1 of the Corporation ahead of the peak monsoon season, it is learnt.
This decision came in the wake of multiple incidents of road cave-ins and surface failures reported across Chandigarh due to heavy pre-monsoon rains.
As per reports, last week, a 35-tonne loaded truck sank into a caved-in stretch in Sector 43, Chandigarh, triggering concerns over the condition of roads in residential sectors and highlighting the urgency for proactive maintenance. The scope of the tender includes the use of ready-mix bituminous cold material for filling potholes and resurfacing affected areas. The work is to be completed within four months, and eligible contractors enlisted with the Chandigarh MC, CPWD, or other government engineering departments have been invited to participate through an e-procurement process.
According to the tender document, the estimated cost of the work is Rs 49.89 lakh, with an earnest money deposit of Rs 99,786, and it outlines the requirement of prior experience in similar works, along with a valid GST registration, financial solvency, and technical credentials. Contractors are also required to maintain quality standards as per the CPWD norms and ensure the disposal of construction debris to designated processing plants.
An MC official said that priority would be given to critical stretches, including roads around schools, hospitals, and high-traffic corridors. The move is being seen as an attempt to check the further road degradation and ensure safer commuting conditions amid increasing rainfall activity forecasted by the Meteorological Department. Civic groups and residents, who have long raised concerns about waterlogging and poorly maintained roads, welcomed the decision but stressed the need for long-term planning and durable repair solutions rather than cosmetic patchwork.
The MC's Engineering Department has urged contractors to begin work immediately after the allocation of work orders and complete patching before mid-monsoon intensifies. The Corporation will monitor progress and quality under the supervision of its Engineering Wing.
Meanwhile, RK Garg, a City resident and president of the Second Innings Association, said, 'With the city already grappling with road safety concerns triggered by recent rain-induced damages, this tender provides a timely intervention aimed at preventing further incidents and ensuring smoother urban mobility during the monsoon.'