Gujarat Roads and Buildings Department ensures swift restoration amid extremely heavy rainfall across state
Gandhinagar, July 30
Amid the recent unprecedented and extremely heavy rainfall across Gujarat, the State's Roads and Buildings Department delivered commendable service in the interest of citizens. Between July 23 and 27, torrential rainfall across several districts caused severe waterlogging and flood-like conditions.
According to the Gujarat Chief Minister's Office, despite these challenging circumstances, the Department launched rapid restoration efforts and reopened roads closed by the rains within hours, ensuring the swift resumption of vehicular movement.
According to official information from the Roads and Buildings Department, a total of 1,540 roads across the State were closed during the five days of extremely heavy rainfall due to safety concerns, floodwater overtopping, and damage to road infrastructure. Owing to the Department's prompt restoration efforts, 1,451 roads, nearly 94 per cent of the total, have since been repaired and reopened for normal traffic.
The impact was particularly severe in South Gujarat, where 1,251 roads were closed due to heavy rainfall. Despite the challenging conditions, the Roads and Buildings Department restored vehicular movement on 1,187 roads within just 24 to 48 hours. As a result of these sustained efforts, 1,236 roads, more than 98 per cent of the affected roads in the region, have now been restored for vehicular movement.
Under the guidance of Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Shri Harsh Sanghavi, and the Secretary of the Roads and Buildings Department, the Department adopted a Four-Pillar Strategy and carried out round-the-clock restoration operations to ensure the swift reopening of affected roads:
During the emergency, more than 1,400 officers and personnel, including 145 technical officers and 1,316 field staff, were deployed round the clock to carry out restoration works across the affected areas.
More than 300 heavy vehicles and machines, including 195 JCBs, 86 tractors, and 59 dumpers, were deployed to swiftly clear road breaches, remove debris, and restore connectivity.
As per the release, the State Flood Control Cell in Gandhinagar monitored the situation every two hours. From the Valsad Command Base, the Chief Engineer and the Officer on Special Duty directly coordinated restoration works in Surat, Navsari, and Valsad.
Special Technical Assessment: Six Special Design Teams from Gandhinagar were deployed to assess the structural safety of government buildings and bridges in the affected areas.
The Roads and Buildings Department also adopted a citizen-centric approach by responding promptly to media reports on damaged or closed roads. Acting swiftly on these reports, the Department repaired around 120 such roads and restored them for normal vehicular movement.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is great news! We live in Surat and roads were waterlogged for days. Thanks to the department, things are back to normal. But we should also ask: why are our roads built so that even moderate rain causes closures? Long-term planning is needed!
A heartening update, but the real test will be next monsoon season. We need better drainage systems and road construction that can withstand heavy rain. Just reactive measures aren't enough—proactive planning is the need of the hour. Still, well done to the team. 👏
Impressive coordination! Over 1,400 personnel and 300 machines deployed — that's massive. But I feel for the villagers in South Gujarat who faced 1,251 roads closed. Hope the remaining 15 roads are fixed soon. Every road matters in rural areas where connectivity is life. 🙏
As an expat living in Gujarat, this is impressive. Back home in the UK, flooding often shuts roads for weeks. 24-48 hour restoration during a record rainfall is world-class. The Four-Pillar Strategy seems effective. Maybe our local councils can take notes! 😅
Good that media reports were acted upon — that shows accountability. But why did it take media reports to act? Shouldn't the department proactively monitor roads? Still, kudos for the swift response. Next time, let's aim for zero closed roads! 🇮🇳
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