Ambitious project at Pardi goes haywire
| Date :20-May-2019 |
Complex Maze: This is the sight right at ground zero, that is Pardi Square, where on one side pillars of NHAI’s fly-over stands tall and on the right side of road pier of Maha Metro is shaping up. Amidst this squeeze, people have to find a way out and carry on with their lives. (Pic by Satish Raut)
By Sagar Mohod:
The ambitious project on at Pardi today is a turning out to be a case of vision gone wrong. Visit to the construction site leaves one confused since one cannot fathom what exactly is being built in the area as on ground construction process has hit the slow lane. The speed of execution of ongoing work is not something that would enthuse anyone. Also current pace of work does not provide any sign of early completion, that means cost overrun and more worries for citizens who are bearing with total absence of proper road network and other civic amenities. For citizens in the meantime it is a daily punishment as every day of delay adds to prevailing dangers that stand created in the area. In a sense people’s concerns and conveniences were given scant regard or never taken into account and that explains current chaos that has spread over to nearly one square kilometre area that resembles as if one is visiting a war zone.
Chaos on Road: Chaotic traffic is order of the day at Pardi as ongoing construction frenzy that slowed down creating problems aplenty for citizens. (Right) A trailer wounds its way through narrow turning radius at Pardi Square posing dangers to adjoining cyclist and also to two-wheeler owing to poor road surface. (Pics by Satish Raut)
Simultaneously several projects were commissioned at Pardi, one by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and other by Maha Metro, and both are going on side by side leaving little room for accommodating people’s interest. While roads work also include concretisation of all four sides streaming into Pardi Square and ahead, the Metro has its last stop at Pardi, called Prajapati Nagar where station building will be constructed. Metro work is yet to take any concrete shape and just piers have been constructed and it will take at least six months for station building to materialise. RoBs: Also, two Railway Overbridges (RoB) work is on to by-pass the current Narrow Gauge line, one ahead of Vaishnodevi Square and other near Lakadganj Police Station.
(left)Road to Nowhere: This picture indicates the ground reality in Pardi area due to incomplete road work.(right)Confusion Galore: One more scene at Pardi Square indicative of problems galore due to unconcerned attitude of authorities. The RoB is also going to have fly-overs connected that would all move till Pardi where a rotary is planned for bisecting traffic. One still does not know if NHAI has plans for criss-cross movement through the rotary at Pardi Square, as fly-over are meant to segregate movement of light and heavy vehicles and avoid conflict that is cause of numerous mishaps in the area. However since last two and half years when the construction work started, every piece of caution was thrown to winds and entire road stretch from Pardi Square and going in various directions are in trouble. Planners push for grandiose is okay but the project lacks solid funding and seems to have been entangled in unwanted hurdles in which safety is the first casualty.
Thus every road user in Pardi area is exposed to some kind of danger, particularly the pedestrians and two wheelers are more vulnerable. Most important aspect at Pardi is movement of heavy trucks especially due to presence of Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Kalamna Yard. The area has heavy movement of trucks, trailers, tempo and other carriage vehicles, and in their midst two wheelers, slow moving vehicles and pedestrians have to move clutching on their lives. Alongside cement concretisation work is also on that now seems to have been paused and hence half finished roads have added more to problems of people using the area. Residents of the area interacting with the visiting The Hitavada team said they are fed-up of these development works. We want to know whose development was thought while conceiving these projects, said a trader having his shop on Kalamna Road. Businessman in the area said their businesses have taken a hit and almost come to grinding halt as concretisation work is on since last three years. Even now work is not finished as dividers are yet not in place at Kalamna, while condition of road from Pardi towards Bhandara has almost vanished due to movement of heavy road. The shops in HB Town complex and those along side fly-over are battling dust and pollution in a major form and they do not know the period for completion of the project. This has all resulted in inconvenience to road users and shops alike and said from where the people are going to come for purchases. Similarly the road leading from Pardi Square towards Lakadganj is also not full concretised and work has stopped near the turn to Kalamna Market Yard. Day and night the entire area is enveloped in dust and gravel lie all along the road making it difficult to trudge. For daily users using this stretch going towards Lakadganj is arduous as they have to be extra cautious owing to overwhelming heavy traffic and dust and other polluting materials. In middle of the roads huge structures can be seen coming out of ground, much like to resemble missile launch pads for novices. Even closer one may not be mistaken to think as if caught in a war torn country, as nearly 1 sq km area taking off from Pardi Square in enmeshed in construction frenzy. And not to mention churning sound of cement concrete mixers whose sight has increased over the year in the farthest point towards East of city. The complex construction zone throughout the day is meshed up in dust and rubble that is strewn in entire stretch visible to eye. Amidst all these frenzied constructions, what can one do but sit and pray to Lord to provide wisdom to planners to think a bit of suffering of common person while dreaming about ambitious projects in future.