All UP roads to be made pothole free by Diwali, Rs 275 crore released: Minister

Uttar Pradesh's Minister of State for Public Works Development Brijesh Singh has said Rs 275 crore have been released as the first installment of the money set aside to make the state's roads free of potholes by Diwali.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has issued clear directions for road repairs across the state by the second week of November in any case, he said.

Singh added that the fund released is just the first instalment and there is no dearth of budget for road repair works.

Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of the UP International Trade Show in Greater Noida, Singh said, “We all know how roads get deteriorated during the rains in monsoon season. Coal tar and rain have an unfriendly relation. Roads break down during rains. Having roads free of potholes during monsoons is impossible.” “We are working on war-footing to repair the roads. The first instalment of Rs 275 crore has been released by us. I have held three rounds of meetings with engineers and chief engineers of my department for this mission,” the PWD minister said.

This is just the first instalment of funds released. More funds would be released as and when required. There is no shortage of budget,'' he told PTI.

Singh, who is also the minister in-charge of Gautam Buddh Nagar district in the Yogi Adityanath government, said he recently toured four districts of the state to review road repair works and would resume visits to other locations in the state in the next few days.

“Since two major events -- the UP International Trade Show and the MotoGP -- are being held in Greater Noida, I have come here. Once I get free from here, I will visit other districts, too,” he said.

“I am confident that we can achieve the goal with our teamwork. I am 100 per cent sure that the PWD department will meet the chief minister's expectation that UP's roads are made free of potholes by Diwali,” he added. According to an official, a target of fixing 1,00,867 potholes in the state has been laid out under 10 departments of the government including the PWD, the National Highway Authority of India, Industrial and Infrastructure Development Department, rural and urban development agencies, etc. The government has also directed for regular review meetings of road resurfacing works at the district, zone and departmental levels.

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