Panaji: The public works department has announced a complete annual ban on road digging and other relate works from May 16 to Oct 31.All related works must be completed before April 30, with a final deadline extension up to May 5 allowed only in exceptional cases.Govt has said that public works department will be the only nodal authority in the state to issue permission for laying of any utilities and permission for emergent conditions which involve road cutting and other related works.Once all the utilities are laid and hotmix work is completed by PWD, no further road digging permissions will be issued to any utility laying department or agency for the next five years unless in cases of emergent conditions. No road cutting permission shall be granted by any state authority without approval from PWD’s coordination committee, the order said.“Enforce a complete ban on road cutting activities from May 16 to Oct 31 of every year and all works shall be executed before April 30 but not later than May 5 of the particular year unless under exceptional circumstances,” said Sandip Chodnekar, PWD principal chief engineer, in a gazette notification.

