Heavy rains damage 854 km of roads in State; officials swing into action

Hyderabad: Heavy rains have damaged 854 km of roads at 739 locations across the State. While 25 stretches were completely cut off, the authorities have restored five. The officials have informed that traffic has been diverted at 228 of 310 causeways.

The Minister for Roads & Buildings Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, along with Special Chief Secretary (R&B) Vikas Raj held a teleconference with officials on Wednesday to assess the extent of road damage caused by heavy rains across Telangana.

During the teleconference, the Minister directed officials to ensure uninterrupted public transport by taking up immediate temporary restoration at damaged culverts, bridges, and washed-out stretches, while also preparing detailed proposals for permanent reconstruction works. He instructed officers to remain on high alert, avoid availing leave during the emergency, and work with urgency until normalcy is restored.

Special Chief Secretary Vikas Raj, while briefing the Minister, informed that 175 of 232 disrupted locations have been cleared and 200 sites have been prioritized for restoration, with the requirement estimated at Rs 46 crore for temporary works and Rs 984 crore for permanent solutions.

Officials added that a 24×7 control centre at the R&B Head Office is keeping constant watch, under the supervision of Chief Engineer Mohan Naik with four officers on duty every shift to track field complaints from all 37 divisions across the State.

The Minister also reviewed the condition of National Highway stretches, ROBs and RUBs, with NH in-charge ENC Jayabharathi and CE Rajeshwar Reddy briefing him on the situation.

Commending the officers for their swift action over the last ten days, Minister Komatireddy appreciated the dedication of R&B engineers and directed them to continue with the same commitment and alertness until all critical road connectivity issues are addressed.