Surat: The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) will hold a co-ordination meeting on Wednesday with officials of the Metro project and the Surat Integrated Transportation Development Corporation Limited (SITCO), which is developing the Multi-Modal Transport Hub (MMTH) near Surat railway station, following a rise in public complaints related to ongoing infrastructure works.Civic officials said the corporation has been receiving repeated complaints about damaged roads and prolonged road closures due to construction activities. Residents have also raised concerns over extensive barricading at multiple locations across the city, citing traffic congestion, longer diversion routes and delays during peak hours.Senior officials from all SMC zones and key departments are expected to attend the meeting to review issues with Metro and SITCO authorities and to ensure time-bound corrective measures.According to officials, one of the key concerns is damage to underground utilities during construction work. In a recent incident, a major portion of a drainage line was damaged during project execution. Although the executing agency was expected to repair the damage, the work was not completed, forcing SMC to carry out emergency repairs due to public safety concerns.The issue of drainage blockages during the monsoon season is also likely to be discussed. Officials said soil and debris from excavation sites often enter drainage lines during rainfall, leading to choking of stormwater pipelines. In low-lying areas, such blockages can result in waterlogging.The civic body is expected to stress the need for preventive measures such as proper covering of excavation sites, regular desilting around work zones, and barriers to prevent silt from entering drainage systems.The meeting will also review whether barricades can be reduced or removed in completed stretches to restore normal traffic movement. Officials said road restoration work will be prioritised at such locations to ease commuter inconvenience.
