Nagpur: Open manholes, broken manhole covers, and a road littered with loose gravel in the guise of repairs have made the Gaddigodam Square-Kadbi Square stretch hazardous for commuters. While some open drains were hastily covered with concrete blocks after the TOI report on Thursday, no civic agency is ready to claim ownership of the stretch in fear of being pinned down for the omission.
The death-trap manhole triggered outrage after a viral video showed a man and his vehicle sliding into an exposed drain hole near Kadbi Square. A local tea stall owner said, "The drain holes have been a problem for a long time. Once a road is made, the administration forgets about maintenance."
Following TOI's report on Wednesday, the drain hole shown in the video, along with others nearby, was covered with concrete blocks. However, when TOI revisited the area on Thursday, many drain holes were found exposed, continuing to pose a threat to commuters.
The situation is complicated in the absence of accountability from government agencies responsible for road maintenance. A Public Works Department (PWD) official told TOI that the stretch falls under the jurisdiction of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Meanwhile, NMC executive engineer Sunil Uikey also attributed responsibility for the upkeep of Kamptee Road to NHAI. However, a senior NHAI official denied this, stating their jurisdiction begins only at Indora Square, and redirected responsibility to NMC and PWD.
With no agency claiming ownership of the road, the confusion over who carried out the repairs adds to the mystery. Lack of accountability, coupled with poorly executed repairs, has raised concerns about safety and maintenance of the road.