Bitumen Spit & Polish On Cracked Cement Road The Nagpur-based Public Works Department (PWD) has undertaken a last-minute repair of a cracked stretch of cement concrete (CC) road on Wardha Road near Khapri, ahead of the BRICS Transport Ministers' Summit. The decision to lay layers of bitumen over the damaged pavement has sparked local skepticism, with residents questioning the rationale behind using temporary asphalt fixes for a road constructed at significant cost and intended to last decades. The work, carried out amid heavy monsoon rains, is part of a broader effort to prepare key roads leading to summit venues, including the approach road to a hotel in Khapri near Mihan, where several high-profile meetings are scheduled. According to officials from the National Highways Division of the PWD, the repair was an emergency measure undertaken just days before the summit, as the monsoon season intensified. The officials admitted that reconstructing the damaged concrete pavement during the rainy period was not feasible. A senior PWD official told The Times of India that the road’s deterioration stemmed from two primary challenges: the presence of black cotton soil beneath sections of the pavement, which compromises structural stability, and the absence of an effective drainage system, which allows water to accumulate beneath the road surface. The repair work has drawn criticism from locals, who argue that the road’s condition highlights systemic issues in infrastructure maintenance. The PWD’s decision to prioritize temporary fixes over long-term reconstruction has raised concerns about the durability of the solution.#nagpur #times_of_india #public_works_department #khapri #brics_transport_ministers_summit
Land Ownership, Train Halt Among Key Demands at Gadkari’s Janta Darbar Residents, farmers, and youth from across Vidarbha gathered at Union minister Nitin Gadkari’s Khamla office in Nagpur on Sunday to voice long-standing grievances during a Janta Darbar. Nearly 200 residents of Kundanlal Gupta Nagar highlighted their struggle to secure legal ownership of their properties despite residing in the area for five decades. Mangesh Satpurkar, a local resident, emphasized that their primary demand is "rightful ownership," while others recounted challenges in obtaining ownership certificates for plots and slum dwellings. A delegation from Khapri revealed that only half of their settlement has been rehabilitated, leaving the remaining half in fear of eviction. Wardha resident Aadarsh Sharma described the inconvenience of a 2-kilometer detour to reach a main road just 200 meters away from his society, adding that commuters also face unnecessary toll charges. Bhandara resident Ramesh Supare urged the restoration of superfast train stops at Bhandara railway station, noting that express trains have bypassed the station for 20 years, causing significant disruption for local travelers. Farmers from Hingna sought a bridge over a local drain to ensure seasonal access to their fields. Chandrashekhar Bhende, representing 250 sugarcane farmers, requested financial aid to deepen a stream that irrigates their farms, which floods during monsoons and dries up in summer. Senior citizens appealed for assistance with government schemes like the Shravan Bal and Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojana, while persons with disabilities submitted petitions for prosthetic limbs and support services. Gadkari directed officials to expedite aid for these groups.#nitin_gadkari #khamla_office #kundanlal_gupta_nagar #khapri #bhandara_railway_station
