Gujarat rains: Roads Dept reopens 94% of closed roads within hours

Amid unprecedented rains in Gujarat, the Roads and Buildings Department showcased commendable service, reopening 94% of 1,540 closed roads. Over 1,400 personnel and 300 machines were deployed for rapid restoration and to resume traffic.

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.

State-wide Restoration Efforts

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.

Focus on South Gujarat

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.

Four-Pillar Strategy and Round-the-Clock Operations

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:

Manpower and Machinery Deployment

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.

Centralized Monitoring and Coordination

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.

Citizen-Centric Approach

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.

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