AS THE city gear up for grand festive celebrations, crumbling roads and gaping potholes across major procession routes threaten to derail religious tableaux (jhankis) and endanger thousands of devotees. The crisis is particularly severe across the Old City, where vital stretches, including Chhola Road, 80 Feet Road, Mandi Road, Vidisha Road, Ghoda Nikas, Jumerati, Central Library, Itwara, Mangalwar, Transport Nagar, and Marwari Road, remain in abysmal condition. Shri Ram Dal President Hemant Singh Kushwaha warned that navigating heavy floats and delicate idols over rugged terrain carries a high risk of tipping, breakage, and severe festive disruptions. Despite repeated representations to civic authorities, organisers report that official assurances have delivered zero action on the ground.

 

“We have alerted administration officials multiple times, but the ground reality hasn’t changed. Immediate route inspections and urgent patching are critical to prevent major mishaps,” urged Shyam Singh Kushwah and Anand Gupta of Shri Ram Dal. The safety concerns extend well beyond the parade routes. Local fair operators like Suraj Kushwaha, who has set up traditional swings in Kamala Park and Sindhi Colony during Navratri and Dussehra for 20 years alongside his brother Jagdish, emphasised that dilapidated roads endanger vast crowds of pedestrians, families, and commuter traffic. With festive rallies drawing massive turnouts, community leaders and vendors are demanding emergency repairs, surface levelling, and strict safety clearance along all key corridors before the processions hit the streets.