PATIALA, Oct 27 — Acting on public feedback and volunteer reports, the Chief Minister’s Flying Squad on Monday inspected the newly laid Hiana Khurd–Mandaur Ajnauda road in Patiala and collected samples to test construction quality.
The 2.5-km road, built by the market committee, had reportedly started showing signs of wear soon after its completion. The inspection followed a report from the Nodal Volunteer Team associated with Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh’s Patiala Rural constituency.
“The chief minister has made it clear that no negligence in construction work will be tolerated,” Dr. Singh said. “If any lapse by the contractor or officials is detected, responsibility will be fixed and strict action will follow.”
He said the state government has taken special steps to improve transparency and accountability in road projects handled by the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Mandi Board. “The agencies that build roads are also tasked with their maintenance for five years,” the minister added.
Dr. Singh said the volunteer team regularly inspects local roads and collects citizens’ feedback. After receiving complaints that the newly built road was deteriorating, the matter was referred to the flying squad for verification.
Superintending Engineer Manpreet Dua from the PWD’s Construction Circle, Patiala, who joined the inspection, said the squad had collected three samples from the site for laboratory analysis. “We have directed the contractor to undertake immediate repairs wherever necessary and ensure quality standards are met,” he said.
The minister said the government is determined to eliminate substandard work in public infrastructure projects. “We have strengthened the entire monitoring system to ensure durable, high-quality roads for the people,” Dr. Singh mentioned.
