Gujarat Cracks Down on Contractors over ₹69 Lakh Road Repair Penalties
Amid rising public outrage over crumbling urban infrastructure, Gujarat officials have issued notices to over 25 contractors and penalised them by more than ₹69 lakh for failing to repair roads within the mandated Defect Liability Period (DLP). The move follows statewide damage assessments across 17 municipal corporations and 149 municipalities, prompted by incidents like the recent collapse of the Gambhira bridge in Vadodara. Authorities are now pushing for urgent repair of 659 kilometres of damaged roads at contractors’ expense while holding civic engineers accountable for lapses.
The state’s sweeping crackdown marks a decisive shift in accountability for infrastructure failures. Traditionally, potholes and damaged roads during the monsoon season were met with slow and opaque responses. This time, civic bodies are acting decisively: contractors under DLP obligations are being forced to take responsibility or face legal consequences. In cities like Surat and Vadodara, municipal corporations have combined penalties with intensified 24/7 repair operations using in-house resources. Road resurfacing is being tracked zone-wise with hot mix plants running continuously to meet the repair demand. Beyond contractors, disciplinary notices have also reached civic engineering staff for oversight failures. This dual scrutiny reflects a rising awareness that poor maintenance isn’t merely an inconvenience—it puts lives at risk. Officials in Vadodara and Ahmedabad, among others, have warned that if further damage leads to injury or loss of life, criminal charges will follow.
More than 16,000 potholes have been repaired statewide in recent days, with government claims indicating over 99% of damaged roads have now been fixed or are near completion. The crackdown is equally political. With local body elections approaching, civic agencies appear determined to regain public trust by ensuring visible, measurable improvements to city infrastructure. Yet critics argue this is still reactive governance—only triggered by public fury or tragedy. Urban planners suggest that the DLP mechanism, while necessary, cannot substitute for proactive, long-term urban design. Road quality, they say, must be rooted in climate-resilient engineering, better procurement standards, and transparent public audits—not just post-crisis penalisation.
The state’s strong response has earned cautious praise from citizen groups, but the focus must now shift from firefighting to reform. A modern city demands infrastructure built not just for the present, but for the shocks of the future—heavy rains, rising traffic loads, and changing climate. Holding contractors accountable is vital, but embedding sustainability into planning, materials, and monitoring will be the true test of progress toward equitable and eco-friendly cities.
