1214 potholes identified, repair work pending on stretches covering 302 km: Telangana R&B Minister Komatireddy

Hyderabad: Of the 1214 potholes identified on Roads & Buildings (R&B) department roads across Telangana, repair work is still pending on stretches covering 302 kilometres. This was revealed during a review meeting chaired by Minister for Roads & Buildings and Cinematography, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, on Wednesday in Hyderabad.

The Minister expressed concern over the delays and instructed officials to expedite the remaining work without further excuses.

“Complete the remaining patchwork immediately. These delays are unacceptable,” he said.

Officials reported that of the total 2488 km of pothole-affected roads, repairs had been completed on 2186 km. The remaining patches, spread across multiple districts, are expected to be finished within the next few days.

Daily Monitoring and On-Ground Inspections Ordered

With the onset of the monsoon, the Minister directed R&B officials to stay stationed at district headquarters and carry out field-level inspections daily.

“R&B officials should be available at district headquarters and conduct daily field-level inspections.”

Senior engineers at the state and district levels were told to coordinate closely with field teams to ensure there is no disruption in road connectivity due to rain or flooding.

Condition of Bridges and Culverts Under Review

A thorough inspection of all in-use culverts, bridges, Road Over Bridges (ROBs), and Road Under Bridges (RUBs) has been mandated.

“Inspect the condition and performance of culverts, bridges, ROBs, and RUBs currently in use through field visits.”

The Minister directed officials to submit a comprehensive report within a week, detailing the progress of ongoing repairs and the current state of existing infrastructure.

Emergency Measures and Control Rooms

To enable immediate repair of damaged roads during rain-triggered disruptions, the Minister asked for sandbags and cement bags to be stocked at Assistant Engineer-level offices.

He also directed the establishment of district-level control rooms, which should be linked to the State Control Room for quick issue resolution.

“Precautionary measures should be taken at bridges and culverts near rivers and streams to avoid disruption to public transportation.”

Cage Wheel Tractors Damaging Roads

The Minister raised concerns about the use of cage wheel tractors on rural roads, especially during the agricultural season. He said such tractors cause significant road damage when driven carelessly.

“Careless movement of cage wheel tractors on roads will damage the surface.”

“As the crop season begins, awareness must be created among tractor owners and farmers to follow precautions while using cage wheels on roads.”

He instructed officials to coordinate with the Panchayat Raj and Revenue departments to conduct village-level awareness campaigns immediately.

Statewide Preparedness and Upcoming Review

Reiterating the government’s focus on infrastructure, Komatireddy said the Roads & Buildings Department would soon face a state-level performance review.

“Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has placed special responsibility on the Roads & Buildings Department, which is playing a crucial role in the state’s infrastructure development.”

“A comprehensive state-level review will be conducted soon. Officials should be fully prepared with all necessary details.”

He concluded the meeting with a reminder to maintain high standards.