NMC asks MahaMetro, NHAI, PWD, NIT to repair roads

Nagpur: Facing flak from citizens over deteriorating condition of major roads in the city, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has approached MahaMetro, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), state PWD (public works department) and Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) urging them to repair the bad stretches immediately to alleviate the problems faced by motorists.
Confirming this, a senior official from NMC’s public works department said since June this year, the NMC had sent at least two letters requesting these agencies to ensure that the thoroughfares should be pothole free. But the agencies continued to ignore the NMC’s pleas, he admitted.
“The motorists are not concerned about which agency owns the road and vent their ire at the NMC,” he said.
The national highway stretches criss-crossing the city are in a deplorable shape. “We have informed the NHAI to repair roads without further delay,” the official said.
Citing examples, the official said the stretch from Variety Square to Wadi Octroi Naka is owned by national highway division of the state PWD. Similarly, Old Katol Road Square to Katol Ring Road Square too is supposed to be maintained by it. But, it seems, the agency cares ‘zero’ for the inconvenience faced by the citizens, he said.
Even the patches on busy Wardha Road, Pardi Road and Kamptee Road are in pathetic condition and all these 12 metre wide stretches are owned by NHAI and state PWD. In the absence of maintenance, potholes are taking the shape of craters posing threat to motorists, especially two-wheeler riders.
The NMC also expressed concern over MahaMetro ignoring maintenance of some major roads like the ones between Munje Chowk and Jhansi Rani Chowk and from Rahate Colony to Congress Nagar.
TOI has reported deteriorating condition of major roads including Amravati Road, Katol Road among others.
A senior official from NMC’s hotmix department too admitted that condition of major roads owned by other government agencies are in bad shape. However, roads above 12 metre width and owned by the NMC are comparatively in good condition, he claimed. Condition of internal roads owned by the civic body is not good, the official admitted.
The hotmix department has already taken up pothole repair works across the city. During this monsoon till August 28, the NMC has repaired around 2,188 potholes through its hotmix plant. Besides this, the NMC has also pressed Insta Patcher and Jet Patcher machines for repairing potholes.
According to data obtained from the department, highest number of potholes was repaired under Mangalwari zone (519 potholes), followed by Dhantoli zone. Here the hotmix department has repaired 374 potholes. The department also carried out 284 and 276 patch works under Gandhibagh and Nehru Nagar zones, respectively.