Administrative Chaos on NH-848! Massive Waste of Public Money as Road Widening and Cable Trenching Clash Simultaneously on Pardi-Chival Route! (2026)
The Pardi-Kaprada Connectivity Disaster: A Story of Zero Coordination
The National Highway 848 (NH-848), a crucial lifeline connecting Pardi to the tribal heartlands of Nana Pondha and Kaprada, has become the center of a major public outcry. In what locals are calling a textbook case of “blind planning,” the government has authorized a massive ₹825.72 crore project to upgrade this 37.08 km stretch into a four-lane highway. However, even as the road-widening process gains momentum, underground cable trenching has simultaneously begun on the same margins, raising fears of a colossal waste of taxpayer money in early 2026.
The Planning Paradox: Digging Up the Future
The lack of a unified “Master Plan” between the National Highway Authority (NHAI) and utility departments (Electricity and Telecom) has exposed a deep systemic flaw.
- Redundant Labor: The margins for the new four-lane road have already been finalized. By laying cables in these zones now, the authorities are effectively ensuring that they will have to be dug up again when the actual road construction equipment moves in.
- Economic Negligence: Citizens argue that if the cables were laid after the road-widening or inside a pre-designed utility duct, millions of rupees in labor and material costs could be saved.
- The “Dig-Fill-Repeat” Cycle: This uncoordinated activity is a direct violation of the PM Gati Shakti vision, which advocates for synchronized infrastructure development across different departments.
Commuter Nightmare: Traveling in the Shadow of Danger
The Pardi-Chival road is already under immense pressure due to heavy vehicle diversions from NH-56. The current “development” has only added to the hazards:
| Hazard Report | Impact on Daily Commuters |
| Trench Dangers | Open pits for cables on narrow edges make it impossible for two large vehicles to pass safely. |
| Missing Safety Gear | A complete lack of LED reflectors, barricades, or “Work in Progress” signs, especially near Arnala and Chival. |
| Nighttime Risk | Without proper street lighting, bikers are at a high risk of falling into fresh excavations hidden by dust. |
| Traffic Gridlock | The combination of road-widening debris and cable-laying machinery creates hours of traffic jams during peak harvest hours. |
Demands of the Pardi-Chival Residents
Jagat citizens and local social activists from the Chival and Arnala belts have issued a formal appeal to the Valsad District Collector:
- Stop the Overlap: Immediately halt the cable laying until the final road level and margins are stabilized.
- Integrated Utility Duct: Force the NHAI to include a permanent RCC duct along the NH-848 stretch so that future repairs do not require breaking the asphalt.
- Strict Supervision: Deploy traffic wardens and ensure high-visibility barricading at all excavation sites to prevent fatal accidents.
Expert Take: The Cost of Mismanagement
Infrastructure experts estimate that uncoordinated digging can increase the total cost of a highway project by 12% to 15% due to rework and compensation for damaged utilities. For a project worth over ₹825 crore, this mismanagement could potentially “sink” over ₹100 crore of public funds into the ground—literally.
#PardiNews2026 #ChivalHighway #NH848 #InfrastructureFail #PlanningBlunder #ValsadUpdate #RoadSafety #TaxpayerWaste #KapradaConnectivity #NHAI #GujaratRoads
📌 Note:
This article is published on OurVapi.com The information presented is based on public sources, local inputs, field observations, and the author’s independent assessment. It is intended to be useful primarily for readers from Vapi, Valsad, Umbergaon, Sarigam, Bhilad, Silvassa, Daman, and nearby regions.
The core objective of OurVapi.com is to deliver accurate, useful, factual, and verified information with a strong focus on local news, public awareness, culture, lifestyle, and community-related topics.
If you found this article helpful, please share it and leave your thoughts in the comments section.
Stay connected with OurVapi.com for reliable local news, updates, and community-focused content.
