Dug up roads posing threat to commuters

Absence of safety measures, warning boards putting lives in danger

BHOPAL : Digging of roads for various works is a common sight in the state capital and absence of safety measures, including placing warning boards are posing to be a threat to commuters, especially in night. In fact, mobile service providers companies are digging for cables and Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) is laying water pipe lines in the state capital. Even footpaths have been dug posing problems for walkers.

Main roads, other roads that serve as bus routes, streets and by-lanes, none are spared. Such is the scale of digging that it is impossible to move from one point to another in the city without riding or driving on a road that has not been dug or is under construction. The digging, though necessary, hinders traffic flow on roads or streets that are too narrow to hold the ever-increasing traffic. Actually, half of the roads are covered by car parking so roads become too narrow and congested. And digging which happens to be non-stop process of state capital compounds the problem.

Though, it is mandatory that a display board containing nature of the work, name of the contractor, contact persons and other details should be kept at the work site, no boards are present. During night hours, when illumination is absent or dim, motorists are caught unaware of the trenches or unrepaired roads resulting in accidents or skidding.

According to BMC administration, a barrier tape or caution tape is enough to caution the road users. Many roads were frequently dug and display of the nature of work would enable them to take diversions through other roads.

Road users want reflective stickers to be installed at the work area so that it was easily visible from long distance. Since traffic personnel cannot be posted at all work areas, precautionary measures should be in place to protect the road users, they added.

BMC additional commissioner Harish Gupta said, “BMC administration will look into the matter as it is true that it poses problems to traffic. But in case of water pipe lines, without testing, contractors cannot do restoration work otherwise it will again be dug up so it takes time, nearly couple of days. Secondly, only 17 per cent roads are under jurisdiction of BMC and rests of the roads are either under PWD, CPA and BDA. So the other agencies should also be equally alert toward restoration work from concerning companies.”