Gujarat truckers urge CM Bhupendra Patel to fix roads, warn of trade losses
Updated: Jul 8th, 2025
Amid deteriorating highway conditions in Gujarat, the Akhil Gujarat Truck Transport Association has written to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, urging immediate government intervention. In the letter, acting president Mukesh Dave said transporters are facing daily disruptions that are leading to significant economic losses.
“Due to the bumpy conditions of Gujarat’s state and national highways, goods are not reaching destinations on time, causing major economic losses to Gujarat's trade and commerce,” Dave wrote. He said both road damage and construction-related diversions are affecting the movement of goods across the state.
Bypasses and excavation work creating bottlenecks
Dave pointed out that new bridges and elevated roads are being built on already damaged highways, further complicating traffic. Temporary bypasses have been created, but they are often in poor condition.
On National Highway 9, ongoing resurfacing has led to excavation on multiple bridges, creating serious problems for vehicles passing through or within Gujarat. Between Vadodara and Surat, the surface of four bridges has been dug up, forcing trucks to move sluggishly.
Near Kamrej, three diversions have been introduced due to bridge work. “Work keeps getting stalled, which is causing traffic obstructions,” Dave said.
Multiple key routes flagged for urgent repair
The association listed several stretches that are in especially poor condition:
- Roads in Kutch are in a dire state
- The road between Morbi and Samakhiali is damaged
- The Vadodara–Karjan–Por route is extremely degraded
- The road from Nabipur to Ankleshwar is completely dilapidated
- On the old Narol–Vadodara highway, a bridge under construction near Aslali has diverted all traffic to a service road, which is also in poor shape
- The Ahmedabad–Himmatnagar road has been under continuous repair for six years
- The condition of the Ahmedabad–Mumbai corridor—one of the state’s most frequented trade routes—is also worsening. Roads between Bharuch, Naswadi, Ankleshwar, and Rajpipla were cited as problematic, along with approaches to Kutch.
Large potholes and uneven roads are forcing drivers to reduce their speed, effectively doubling travel time. “Drivers are forced to be stranded on highways for hours, leading to both physical and mental stress,” Dave said. In some areas, shorter routes have become unusable due to severe damage.
Govt confirms 83 km of monsoon damage to highways
At a review meeting in Gandhinagar on Monday, the Roads and Buildings Department confirmed that 243 bridges across Gujarat are under repair. Officials said diversions are being closely monitored.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) stated that 83 km of national highways had sustained damage during the monsoon season. Of this, 58 km have been repaired, and work on the remaining 25 km will be completed on priority.
Municipal commissioners from major cities joined the meeting via video conference. They were instructed to immediately address road damage, underpasses, and waterlogging in urban areas and restore normal conditions as quickly as possible. Officials also discussed long-term planning for infrastructure resilience.
136 roads closed; no pre-monsoon work carried out
As of Monday, 136 roads in Gujarat remain closed to vehicular traffic, including:
- 8 state highways
- 120 panchayat roads
- 1 national highway in Chhota Udepur
- 7 other roads
Officials noted that the state government had allocated ₹107 crore to 149 municipalities last month in anticipation of monsoon-related road damage. However, no municipal corporation or municipality carried out any pre-monsoon maintenance work, leading to severe inconvenience for commuters and transporters.
While government officials claimed that there is no shortage of funds, they stressed the need for better quality control and accountability. Directions were issued to repair all works still under the Defect Liability Period, and to award future contracts only to firms capable of delivering long-lasting results.
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