Potholes continue to be a menace in Gujarat, with poor condition of roads expectedly aggravating the condition during monsoon. Deep puddles of water make visibility of potholes a severe challenge, leading to fatal incidents. This month, a biker lost his balance on the Pardi Highway. He was hit by a truck and died on the spot even though he was wearing a helmet.
Another incident was reported about an auto rickshaw driver who bruised his face. Reports claimed the autorickshaw plunged front-first into the crater, with its front wheel inside and both rear wheels on the road.
There has been widespread resentment over the Gujarat government’s inaction in addressing this long-standing issue. Public outrage has been simmering, as deteriorating roads made commuting on roads a high life risk.
Now, finally, in a sweeping crackdown on “dilapidated” roads, the Gujarat government has rolled out a stringent Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for pothole repairs across the state. This decisive move comes after the catastrophic collapse of the Gambhira bridge in Vadodara on July 9 and a firestorm of criticism on social media over the deplorable state of roads and bridges.
Media reports claim that under the direct supervision of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the state launched an aggressive statewide “damage control” campaign. Municipal corporations and municipalities were ordered to complete road repair works within a week. The fallout didn’t stop there—several contractors and civic engineers were slapped with notices, penalised, and made to carry out repair work at their own expense.
As a result of this campaign, a staggering 15,500 potholes were repaired across the eight older municipal corporations in just one week by July 18. Vadodara topped the list with over 4,500 potholes repaired, followed closely by Ahmedabad with nearly 4,300.
To ensure uniformity, quality and time-bound repair work with accountability, SOPs have been laid for the municipal corporations, M Thennarasan, Principal Secretary, Urban Development department, told a section of the media.
The SOP is nothing short of uncompromising. It mandates a daily survey of potholes by engineers of the respective areas. Every defect spotted must be recorded. Furthermore, residents are allowed to lodge complaints through various platforms, which then must be documented in a designated register and resolved according to norms.
According to the SOP, minor potholes must be repaired immediately, if feasible. But there’s zero tolerance for serious damage: roads causing “extreme inconvenience to the public” must be repaired within 48 hours, no exceptions. “Further, the photographs of the work done regarding all such complaints will be uploaded within 72 hours by the concerned engineer. In addition, a record including photographs of the work done shall be kept and the details of the complaint disposal shall be entered in the prescribed register with signature,” the SOPs stated.
The guidelines go even deeper. Repairs are to follow a meticulous methodology. The area must first be barricaded for public safety. Potholes are to be clearly marked and reshaped. Cleaning is mandatory—horizontal and vertical surfaces must be scrubbed with wire brushes. Only then is cold asphalt or emulsion to be sprayed on dust-free surfaces. Hot mixes must be uniformly spread. No more than 100 mm of loose materials can be laid in one layer; if thicker patchwork is needed, it must be done in two to three layers, each applied and compacted separately.
On the technological front, the SOPs recommend cutting-edge solutions like ‘Cold Emulsion Injection Pothole Patching’ and ‘Infrared Recycling Pothole Technology’. These methods are officially endorsed by the government. Moreover, municipal corporations must reopen the repaired roads to traffic only two hours after stone dust has been sprinkled—no shortcuts permitted.
This SOP now applies to all 17 municipal corporations in Gujarat. The crackdown is not only severe—it is systemic. The government has made it clear: the era of neglect and half-measures in road maintenance is over.
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