A VIRAL video exposing the deplorable condition of a road at Ambikapur’s Kharsia Chowk has prompted Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai to step in, with the Chief Minister directing the Surguja Collector to immediately inspect the site and undertake remedial work. The intervention comes as heavy rains continue to put several stretches of roads under construction or repair across the State under pressure. Taking serious note of the inconvenience faced by commuters, Sai spoke to Surguja Collector Ajit Vasant over the telephone and sought details of the situation at Kharsia Chowk The Chief Minister directed the district administration to fill the large potholes, level the road and restore an effective drainage system without delay. At locations witnessing heavy traffic, he also called for close coordination between the administration, police and traffic authorities to ensure safe and uninterrupted movement. In a wider directive aimed at preventing similar problems across the State, Sai asked all district collectors to regularly monitor roads under construction and personally inspect stretches where necessary. Collectors have been told to coordinate with the concerned departments and construction agencies and ensure that roads remain safe and motorable during the monsoon. The Chief Minister directed the administration to remain particularly vigilant about road safety during the rainy season. Wherever damaged roads, ongoing construction, erosion near bridges and culverts, waterlogging or other hazards threaten traffic movement or increase the risk of accidents, immediate protective measures must be taken.

Warning signs, barricades and safe alternative traffic arrangements should be put in place wherever required, he said.

 

Sai made it clear that ongoing construction should not become a reason for commuters to face prolonged or avoidable hardship. Even where permanent construction or repair work is affected by weather conditions, authorities must undertake necessary interim measures to keep roads usable. Potholes should be filled, road surfaces levelled and drainage improved on a priority basis, the Chief Minister directed. The Chief Minister said the district administration must ensure effective coordination irrespective of the agency responsible for a particular road. Roads under the National Highways authorities, Public Works Department, urban local bodies or other agencies must all receive timely attention, he said. Collectors have also been asked to identify major roads and construction stretches carrying heavy traffic and review their condition regularly. The latest directive places the responsibility on district administrations to respond promptly to road-related problems rather than waiting for complaints to escalate. The Ambikapur incident, which came to wider attention through the viral video, has thus triggered a broader State-wide focus on maintaining road connectivity and commuter safety during the monsoon. Sai further directed that construction and permanent repair works on roads be expedited once the rainy season ends. Construction agencies should work according to clearly defined plans, with projects completed within stipulated timelines while maintaining quality standards. He stressed that road works should be continuously monitored so that the public does not have to endure prolonged inconvenience. District administrations and implementing agencies must ensure timely execution, effective supervision and quality construction, the Chief Minister said.