Amrut 2.0 Review
Fadnavis Critiques Slow Road Restoration in Nagpur
Nagpur: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed his dissatisfaction on Saturday regarding the slow and substandard restoration of roads that were excavated for sewerage projects under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 initiative. He admonished civic officials and contractors for their inadequate performance in these essential works. Fadnavis emphasized that agencies responsible for negligent execution may face disqualification from future government contracts.
NMC Commissioner Vipin Itankar presented the status of AMRUT 2.0 works, including sewage treatment plants (STPs) and pumping stations. A 35 MLD STP is proposed at Chikhali and a 10 MLD plant at Jaitala, while pumping stations are planned at Chinch Bhavan, Bidipeth and Somalwada. Itankar said the sewer pipeline works under AMRUT 2.0 would be completed by March 2027, and the Chikhali STP by August 2027.
He ordered a joint meeting of all departments involved and directed them to frame a comprehensive policy that fixes procedures and responsibilities for road cutting, pipeline laying, backfilling and final restoration. The review also covered the Pora river pollution-control and rejuvenation project.
They alleged that the Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s (NMC) public health engineering (PHE) department and its contractors had failed to act on repeated complaints, and they specifically criticised the response of the PHE department, headed by Superintending Engineer Shweta Banerjee. MLA Pravin Datke and Standing Committee chairperson Shivani Dani-Wakhare also highlighted the hardship caused to citizens, particularly during the monsoon.