Delhi PWD Launches Sunday Drive to Repair 2,000 Potholes Before Monsoon
The Delhi Public Works Department (PWD) launched a citywide special drive on Sunday to repair approximately 2,000 remaining potholes across roads in Delhi before the onset of the monsoon season.
PWD Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma inspected the repair works at multiple locations across the capital to review the progress of the pre-monsoon road maintenance. Engineers, maintenance staff, and field teams were deployed throughout Sunday to complete the repairs within a stipulated timeframe.
According to PWD records, a total of 14,757 potholes were identified on roads maintained by the department between January 1 and June 4. Ahead of Sunday's drive, the department had already repaired 12,762 of those identified hazards. The weekend drive was specifically organized to address the remaining potholes to ensure commuter safety before heavy rains hit the city.
Verma explained that the department intensified its road maintenance activities because potholes tend to expand during the rainy season, creating severe safety hazards for motorists.
During his inspection, Verma linked the recurring pothole issues to poor construction quality in previous years. He noted that many of the potholes currently undergoing repairs are on roads constructed several years ago, where quality standards were not adequately maintained.
To address these recurring issues, the Delhi government has implemented stricter quality-control mechanisms and introduced greater accountability for contractors. Under the newly strengthened measures, newly constructed PWD roads are covered under a five-year maintenance clause, making contractors responsible for rectifying any defects that emerge during the warranty period.
Additionally, the National Green Tribunal has been monitoring Delhi's stormwater preparedness and pre-monsoon desilting targets. During hearings earlier this year, the tribunal noted that only about 30 percent of the desilting work had been completed by April, and urged strict adherence to the May-June timelines ahead of the monsoon.
