Public Works Department has a glorious history in the state of over 150 years. It is mainly entrusted with construction and maintaince of roads, bridges and government buildings. The department also acts as the technical advisor to the State Government. Initially, the works pertaining to Irrigation, Roads and Bridges as well as constructions cum maintenance of Public Buildings were entrusted to this department.
In the year 1960 a separate "State of Maharashtra" came in to existence and thereafter this department by way of reorganisation divided into two distinct Departments viz. Irrigation Department & Building and Communication Department. In the year 1980 the housing function were looked after by yet another separate Department and existing Public Works Department continued to get established.
Public Works Department of Govt. of Maharashtra primarily executes the following different vivid development works.
- Construction of New Roads & Bridges.
- Maintenance and repairs of existing Roads and Bridges.
- Construction of Govt. buildings.
- Maintenance and Repairs of existing Govt. buildings.
- Undertaking Deposit Contribution works relating to different Departments of Govt. of Maharashtra as well as of other Local Bodies
- Resettlement works due to Natural calamities like flood, earthquakes etc.
- Construction of Road’s under Employment Guarantee Scheme.
- Construction of Helipads for Very Very Important Person’s visits wherever required.
- Fixation of rent of Private premises requisitioned for housing Govt. offices.
- Designs, construction, maintenance and repairs of runway relating to the Aviation Department.
- Development of Parks and Gardens in the vicinity of important Public Buildings and landscaping of grounds in order to transform into garden
- Reservation of Govt. Rest Houses and Circuit Houses.
- To under take auction sale of fruit trees along the roadsides.
- To permit construction of approaches on both sides of roads to private individual, other institutions, factories, Petrol Pumps etc.
- To allow irrigation drains, electricity lines, telephone duct cables etc. along and across the roads.
- To evacuate the encroachment coming along the road sides
- Issue of certificates periodically to Cinema Houses about stability of structures / arrangement related to electrical fitings conforming to Cinema Regulation Act.
- Issues of certificate for lift operating in Private Buildings.
- To lease out the Govt. land for Exhibition/Circus or other purposes etc. temporarily.
- Plantation of trees along both sides of the road
