DEPUTY Chief Minister and Public Works Department Minister Arun Sao on Tuesday said that repair work on all roads across Chhattisgarh would be completed by January 15, ensuring pothole-free connectivity throughout the State. Addressing a press conference at the Auditorium of Samvad in Nava Raipur Atal Nagar, Sao reviewed the performance of the PWD over the past two years and outlined priorities for the coming year.

 

He said road repair work is progressing at a fast pace and the government has set a firm deadline to address road conditions before mid-January. Sao said the Bharatiya Janata Party government led by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has issued administrative approval of Rs 7,529 crore over the last two years, compared to Rs 4,040 crore released by the previous Congress government during a similar period. He added that the earlier government had taken loans amounting to around Rs 2,643 crore, which have now been waived by the present administration.

 

Sao informed that administrative approval of Rs 8,022 crore has been granted for 1,126 construction works from December 2023 till date. At present, road construction is underway across 3,641 kilometres in the State. He said 164 bridges have already been completed, while construction work on another 143 bridges is in progress. During the same period, construction of 252 buildings has been completed and work on 265 additional buildings is ongoing. Sao said special emphasis is being laid on improving road connectivity in Naxal-affected districts to facilitate development and movement.

 

Between December 2023 and November 2025, construction of 80 major bridges and 23 minor bridges has been completed, he said. Looking ahead, Sao announced that tenders would be invited for five-year maintenance of around 1,000 kilometres of important roads under the Output and PerformanceBased Road Maintenance Contract for the financial year 2026-27. He added that under the Chhattisgarh Anjor Vision 2047, the State aims to connect all villages with paved roads by 2030, alongside expansion of National Highways in the coming years. PWD Secretary Kamalpreet Singh was also present at the press conference.