Palm Road, which is in good shape, gets a makeover

Nagpur: The state public works department (PWD) has started to asphalt Palm Road in Civil Lines apparently to put up a good show for the delegates coming for the Indian Road Congress (IRC) convention to be held between November 22 and 25. The road is in a good condition after being repaired by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) four months ago ahead of the state legislature’s monsoon session held here in July.
The IRC convention, which will be attended by around 3,000 engineers and officials, is being organized at the Divisional Sports Complex at Mankapur. The participants will stay at government rest houses — Ravi Bhavan, Nag Bhavan, MLA hostel, Sahyog rest house, among others, in Civil Lines. Most of the these rest houses are located on Palm Road.

The PWD is asphalting both sides of the road from its regional office to Ladies Club Lawns Square, Akashwani Square to Vidhan Bhavan Square and GPO square. As of Friday, asphalting on one side is complete and work has started on the other side.

As Palm Road is the main approach road for Vidhan Bhavan, the NMC had repaired all bad patches on this road in July. The defect liability period of the repairing works is two years as per the civic body. Yet, the PWD is asphalting the road.

Similarly, the PWD started to asphalt VIP Road between Deekshabhoomi Square and Alankar Square a few days ago. TOI on November 5 had highlighted about the good condition of the road.

Also, the stretch is proposed to be converted into cement concrete under a NMC project. After asphalting one side of the road between Deekshabhoomi Square and Kachipura Square, the PWD seemed to have abandoned the plan to do it on the other side.

A PWD official told TOI that the road was being asphalted as a routine work and not for IRC. “We sanctioned Rs7 crore for repairing of seven roads which includes Palm Road. The NMC had done only patchwork but we are completely asphalting the road,” he said.

However, TOI has learnt that the PWD has never repaired Palm Road ever.

Activist Anil Wadpalliwar, who informed TOI about the works, said it was sheer wastage of public money. “There are many roads in the city that in a poor condition. Even the roads under PWD are crying for repair works. The stretch between Ambazari Garden and University Campus Square is a classic example. It is like rubbing salt on the local residents’ wounds as roads in good condition are being asphalted. The same happens always before the state legislature’s session here,” he said.

Wadpalliwar added that PWD is also undertaking other types of works for IRC that is not necessary. “IRC is a private body of engineers. But the funds of the government are being spent for the event despite there being a financial crisis,” he said.