Nagpur is gearing up for an extensive road improvement initiative as the civic administration approved the resurfacing of 260 roads across the city in anticipation of the upcoming festive season. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has sanctioned a budget of Rs 14.46 crore to carry out this citywide upgrade, covering more than 120 kilometres of deteriorated roads spread across 10 zones.
Unlike previous years, this year’s project will be executed in-house through the corporation’s upgraded hotmix plants. The move aims to reduce dependency on external contractors, ensuring quicker completion, greater cost efficiency, and better quality assurance. The decision was finalised during a recent review meeting of the Public Works Department chaired by the Municipal Commissioner, with all key engineering officials in attendance. The roads selected for repair have been categorised into three groups based on their condition. The top priority segment includes 135 roads with over 50% surface degradation, demanding immediate attention. This portion, spanning 59.9 km, will consume nearly half the total budget. The second and third priority groups, comprising 87 and 38 roads respectively, have been allocated the remaining funds.
Zone-wise, Dhantoli and Mangalwari top the list with 40 and 37 roads each, including several listed under critical priority. Meanwhile, Dharampeth, a better-maintained region, will see repairs on five essential stretches. Other key zones including Laxmi Nagar, Hanuman Nagar, and Ashi Nagar will also benefit from this intensive infrastructure intervention. Engineering experts from the civic body confirmed that road selection was based on real-time ground assessments that took into account potholes, waterlogging, and overall structural stability. The renewed strategy also places emphasis on slope correction and drainage to ensure road longevity through the next monsoon season.
With the festival calendar coinciding with peak road usage and civic scrutiny, officials are under pressure to deliver results swiftly. Supervisory teams have been deployed across zones to ensure that all technical standards are met, especially given public concerns around premature wear in previous projects. A senior official from the engineering wing noted that the use of in-house hotmix technology will likely lead to longer-lasting roads. However, citizen groups and local residents have urged the corporation to ensure stringent monitoring, citing past resurfacing efforts that failed within months.
While the civic administration denies any political undertone to the project’s timing, observers link the urgency to growing public dissatisfaction and upcoming civic elections. Nonetheless, if executed properly, the initiative promises a meaningful upgrade to Nagpur’s urban transport infrastructure, ensuring smoother and safer movement for citizens as the festive season approaches.
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