PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Dehradun district magistrate Savin Bansal said that agencies digging beyond permitted limits will face FIRs and must level any excavated road by morning. He stated this during a district-level coordination meeting on road cutting permissions and mobile tower installations on Sunday. The administration granted conditional approvals to Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL), Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL), Uttarakhand Urban Sector Development Agency (UUSDA), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and other agencies. The DM said that work will be allowed only between 10 PM and 6 AM and permissions will be issued after November 10. Agencies must restore the road surface to a usable state after completing work, he said. Bansal stated that the administration will allow road digging for underground public utilities, including electricity, water supply, sewerage and gas pipelines. The district Quick Response Team (QRT) will monitor the sites. He said that the administration will take legal action, including seizure and filing of cases, if violations occur, including leaving roads dug, ignoring barricading or failing to maintain safety measures. The DM directed officials to issue permissions only after receiving no-objection certificates and cutting charges. He expressed dissatisfaction over supervision by UPCL and other agencies and asked them to improve oversight. He instructed all agencies to ensure barricading and place staff at work sites. He added that damage to Smart City equipment, including cameras, has been reported and agencies must obtain permission from the smart city office before beginning work. Bansal directed the sub-divisional magistrate Kumkum Joshi to visit work sites of UPCL, GAIL, ADB and UUSDA. He asked that agencies clearly mention dumping zones in their applications and submit full work details, including timelines. He said agencies must deposit road restoration charges before receiving approval and new permissions will be issued only after completion of older works. He instructed agencies to avoid delays because public inconvenience will invite action. Bansal said that construction supervisory staff must remain present at sites to ensure compliance with administrative orders.
