Craters in roads or roads in craters! This is state of almost all major city roads, which pose the question- when will things improve and will the ride ever become smoothIJ
For those asking this question every time they venture on the roads and flirt with danger to reach their destinations, things will remain as worse as it was uptil now.
Ironically, the department of Road Construction, custodian of State Highways which are crisscrossed with National Highways and roads maintained by the Ranchi Municipal Corporation, there is no time frame to make roads free of craters.
“Maintenance is done through tender. Although, we have issued tenders I cannot specify timeline to improve the condition of roads especially Bariatu,” said Chief Engineer of Road Construction Department Patwari Soren.
The department has set no time limits to improve Bariatu Road incidentally notorious for deep troughs and resulting bumpy ride prompting the then Jharkhand Assembly Speaker C P Singh to shot a satirical letter to the Principal Secretary Road Construct Rajbala Verma in order to draw her attention towards the apathy of the department.However, even after one year of the letter laced with sarcastic comments the road remains a nerve wracking stretch.
“Take the photographs of this place as well. There are many more. Tenders have been issued so many times yet the condition of the road has not improved. What sort of tender was issuedIJ” said a shop owner near the house of K K Sinha.
The department has decided to fill the area near K K Sinha to prevent water logging, added Soren. Interestingly, the department has its own set of reasons for not making the entire stretch conducive for travelling. Besides, the ongoing laying of drain pipeline by Public Health
Engineering Department (PHED) has pushed maintenance work behind for an unknown time.
“Unless the PHED completes the pipeline project we cannot start maintenance work. It will be wastage of resources if we do anything in the meantime,” added Soren.
The department has no dearth of reasons for dilapidated roads elsewhere.The road stretching from Hotlips Chowk to Durga Mandir on Ratu Road is as pathetic as other arteries of city. People plying on the road, living in nearby localities and shopkeepers have a tale to tell on the condition of the road.
“I don’t remember if the road was ever repaired,” said Sanjiv Sahu a shop owner near the traffic post on the road. It is reality that roads treat everybody equally.
The road between Plaza Chowk to via Mission Chowk right upto Karbala Chowk has forced other dignitaries to change their course. “Earlier people belonging to judicial services used to travel through this road. But due to big pot-holes they have changed their route,” said A Upadhyaya, a traffic constable posted at Plaza Chowk.
If other reasons were not enough to justify lethargy, the department rued excessive pressure of vehicles on the city roads for failing to maintain the quality of roads.
“Bituminous road are difficult to maintain as they need to be blocked for around 11 hours before opening it for traffic. Roads become weak due to this,” maintained Soren.