Surat road dug up for drainage work 45 days after resurfacing work, sparks row

A road resurfaced at a cost of ₹5 lakh in Surat’s Pal area was dug up within just 45 days for pending drainage work, raising fresh controversy over the alleged wastage of public funds in the name of development in Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC).

Locals said that the newly laid road near Stuti Residency, in Pal area had barely come into use before municipal authorities initiated excavation work using heavy machinery, including JCB excavator, to lay a drainage line. 

Furthermore, they criticised the drainage work, questioning why it was not planned and completed before the road resurfacing project was undertaken.

The SMC frequently cites large-scale spending on infrastructure and development projects; however, locals allege that poor coordination between departments often leads to unnecessary expenditure of public money.

Furthermore, describing it as an administrative negligence, they have demanded accountability from the officials responsible. They have raised questions over the approval process for the road project, asking why the drainage department was not consulted before the resurfacing work was carried out.

Residents and local leaders have also called for an inquiry into the matter and sought clarification on who will bear responsibility for the additional expenditure incurred due to the repeated work. They argue that unless accountability is fixed, taxpayers' money will continue to be wasted on avoidable reconstruction projects.