As schools in Nagpur re-open for the new academic session, students, full of excitement to reunite with friends and enthusiasm for the year ahead, are being met with unexpected hazards. A large, water-filled crater, dug by authorities right outside the entry gate of Keshav Nagar School at Jagnade Square, greeted students, turning their arrival into an impromptu “river crossing”. This significant pit poses a serious accident risk, especially for young children who often exit school running and jumping. Ironically, Dr Abhijeet Chaudhari, Municipal Commissioner and Administrator of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation, had specifically instructed contractors and relevant municipal engineers to cease road digging after May 31 and to restore all previously excavated sites before the monsoon’s arrival.

 

 

The situation at Keshav Nagar School highlights not only the lack of seriousness from contractors and municipal engineers regarding timely work completion but also their nonchalant  attitude towards the Municipal Commissioner’s directives. The Keshav Nagar School incident is not an isolated example of this careless approach. The concrete road construction towards KDK College of Engineering from Jagnade Square is another glaring instance of official negligence. Although the road itself is in good condition, the paver blocks on its shoulders have been removed, creating a trench that could become extremely dangerous for commuters once rainwater accumulates.

 

Without any barricades or warning signs, it will be difficult for commuters to judge the trench’s depth during the upcoming monsoon. Similar hazardous scenes are visible in Hiwari Nagar, where an under-construction flyover narrows the road on one side, while large trenches dug for pipe-laying occupy the other. Fortunately, these trenches are at least marked with barricades. Another dangerous spot is on the road from Jadhao Square towards Agyaram Devi Square, near the ST bus stand in Ganeshpeth. Excavated material has been left spread across half the road, significantly reducing the width of this busy thoroughfare. This debris also presents a substantial danger to commuters, particularly in case of rain.

 

The road from Ashok Square towards Untkhana Square also suffers from the same fate with excavated trenches left open after completion of work on side of the road. Ideally, all these locations should have been restored to their previous condition as per the Municipal Commissioner’s instructions before the monsoon began. With the monsoon season already underway in Nagpur, these unaddressed hazards pose an immediate threat to the safety of citizens, especially children and commuters. The authorities must prioritise these critical infrastructure projects and ensure their prompt completion and proper barricading. Failure to act swiftly could lead to preventable accidents and further erode public trust in the city’s civic management.