Rain-battered roads make people’s life miserable

Rains during the last few days have certainly brought cheer to the residents of State capital after the Upper Lake, lifeline of city, and almost all water bodies brimming. However, the incessant rainfall has also made driving in the city difficult because of the bad condition of the roads. Pedestrians are not having a gala time walking on the footpaths either. Many footpaths of the city already had numerous open chambers which were life threatening, now, with water getting collected in them, they are hard to distinguish and have become prone to causing fatal accidents.

Regardless of the fact that Bhopal being the State capital, maintenance of roads is not being handled efficiently by the authorities concerned. Currently, Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) along with Public Works Department (PWD), responsible for administering infrastructure of the capital’s road service, but both corporations seems almost indifferent towards this raising issue. Many major roads of the city that are used daily by the people are facing a problem of potholes that are now filled with monsoon water. These potholes are causing accidents and an uncomfortable bumpy commute for the residents of the city. It results in even more of unsafe journey at night time which is already risky during the monsoon season. Two-wheeler riders happen to have the hardest time riding their bikes and scooters in slippery roads during rain to which these potholes only add up to their misery.

Several incomplete projects are also a cause for dug up and crowded roads. Flyovers that were being constructed in the city for better management of the problem of traffic jams have not been completed even after crossing their deadlines. Bawaria Kalan flyover, which was expected to be finished by December 2018, is still under construction. The construction of the flyover has made the previously existing road narrower which is now teaming up with several potholes, and is making two way commute almost impossible. Even Hoshangabad Road regardless of being a highway, doesn’t have any better. Aditi, a student, says “Riding a scooty on these roads is so discomforting, that she now prefers to hire a taxi instead of risking her life by riding a two-wheeler.”

“An apparent partiality is also being noticed since roads in areas like Chaar Imli where most officers reside, are well maintained even though they too face heavy traffic, but residential areas of common people are facing problems of water getting collected on the roads every day”, she added. Sangeeta, a teacher who up downs from Bhopal to Obedullaganj, says “Hoshangabad road near Mandideep is being widened into a four lane road, but since the work is not complete, there are patches in the road that are muddy that have now become slippery due to rain, because of this, it now takes an extra thirty minutes to reach my workplace”.