Gujarat: NHAI member inspects rain-damaged Bharatmala highway

Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], July 13 (ANI): Following the damage caused by recent heavy rainfall to sections of the Bharatmala Highway in Gujarat, NHAI Member Venkataraman, accompanied by senior state officials, conducted an on-site inspection near the Bakatra toll plaza in Patan district on Sunday.
Gujarat's Chief Minister has directed immediate repairs and inspections to maintain seamless connectivity. Authorities have also promised legal action against the contractors responsible for poor construction work.
In addition, orders have been issued to inspect the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) roads with collaboration between the Central and State Governments. As part of this initiative, Venkataraman assessed a 1.35 km stretch of the Bharatmala Highway between Sanchore in Rajasthan and Santalpur in Patan, which had been severely damaged.
Venkataraman collected samples from the damaged section and confirmed that legal action would be taken if any deficiencies in quality were found.
He also mentioned that following reports of potholes and road damage on the Sanchore-Santalpur stretch, an inspection was conducted. The contractor responsible for the damage has been issued a notice, and quality tests on road samples are underway. If substandard work is identified, strict action will follow.
Venkataraman assured citizens and commuters that necessary repairs would be completed promptly, aided by new machinery and additional manpower, weather conditions permitting.
Patan District Collector Tushar Kumar Bhatt said that the inspections were conducted with coordination between the Central and State Governments, emphasising the State Government's commitment to restoring the road infrastructure.
NHAI Member Venkataraman assured that the issue would be resolved soon, with additional workers deployed to expedite repairs.
During this inspection, NHAI Regional Officer Sunil Yadav, Radhanpur Prant Officer, officials and staff from the Roads & Buildings Department (State) of Patan were also present.(ANI)