City Engineer Sanjay Agarwal has issued a notice to divisional officials, demanding that all road excavations by Maharashtra Natural Gas Company Limited and other companies for laying pipelines and cables be filled by June 25. This directive comes in light of the monsoon season and the prohibition of road digging during this time.
Maharashtra Natural Gas Company Limited, BSNL, and several private companies have undertaken projects to lay gas pipelines and fibre optic cables, resulting in extensive road digging across the city. Currently, over 200 kilometres of roads have been excavated by MNGL. This has caused significant inconvenience to citizens, leading to disruptions in electricity and water supplies and increasing the risk of accidents.
With the onset of the monsoon, continuing road excavation could exacerbate these issues. Therefore, Sanjay Agarwal has mandated an urgent meeting with all departmental officials to address the situation and ensure the pits are filled by the specified deadline. He also issued a stern warning that criminal cases would be filed against entities that dig roads without permission.
Digging banned in Nashik
Recently, in preparation for the monsoon season, the Nashik Municipal Corporation’s Public Works Department had implemented a prohibition on road digging for the next four months, targeting both the Smart City project and gas companies. Additionally, a citywide initiative to repair existing potholes and damaged roads has been launched, with a goal to complete these repairs by June 15.
The city has been undergoing extensive infrastructure works, including cable laying, signal system repairs, and gas pipeline installations by Smart City and Gas Company. This has resulted in significant road digging, even affecting concrete roads. However, continuing these activities during the rainy season could exacerbate traffic congestion and increase the risk of accidents due to potholes. This has already been a source of frustration for Nashik residents.
