Delhi PWD sets Nov 30 deadline to resurface 600 km of major roads

PWD Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh inspected resurfacing work on Africa Avenue around midnight on Thursday-Friday and set officials a November 30 deadline to improve 600 km of Delhi’s major roads.

The target covers part of the roughly 1,400 km road network managed by the Public Works Department. Major roadwork is generally avoided during the monsoon, while bitumen surfacing becomes difficult in winter when night temperatures fall below about 15 degrees Celsius.

The Delhi government has approved a one-time cost escalation for PWD road projects after disruptions in bitumen supply and higher prices delayed work and led to fresh tenders. Singh said the department would use the period before winter to restart priority projects.

PWD has engaged a third-party agency with specialised machinery to test the quality and thickness of newly laid surfaces. Under revised conditions, contractors executing the projects must maintain the completed roads for five years.