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The second Covid wave derailed numerous projects taken up by the Public Works Department (PWD) and other government agencies in Uttar Pradesh.
Sources said that besides other difficulties faced during the on-going pandemic, PWD was particularly hit as about four dozen of its employees, including senior engineers, succumbed to the deadly virus infection.
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, who is also the PWD minister, said it was hoped that work would be taken up on a war-footing as soon as the crisis was over. He said that ongoing projects would be expedited by strictly following Covid protocols.
On Sunday, Maurya visited Kaushambi and reviewed construction work of a guest house with top district officers where he directed to ensure maximum plantation of herbal plants in all ongoing projects, including national and state highways, so that natural oxygen could be facilitated to the public and commuters.
Maurya also said that in order to ensure there were no hurdles for necessary works like repair of bridges, river banks, a purse of of Rs 80 crore has been created which was at the discretion of the head of PWD, but could only be utilised on projects already sanctioned by the government and not for any other purposes. Besides, a sum of Rs 3.96 crores was sanctioned for construction of a bridge on Garra river in Kankara Kankar Kund near Azizganj of Shahjahanpur district, for timely completion of the project.
Maurya further said that recently he held a virtual meeting with State Road Fund Management Committee members and asked them to use Rs 2,200 crore for the ongoing projects and Rs 800 crore for the new projects so that no financial constraint came in the way of development projects. Officials were strictly instructed to focus on the quality of roads in rural areas and also to plan construction of bypass in all areas which were densely populated and have heavy traffic load.
The deputy CM claimed that the majority of projects were underway with strict compliance of Covid protocols and the officers concerned were emphasising that the projects should be completed on time maintaining laid standard of work and not compromise on quality of work.