Commuters, patients struggle to cross potholed, drain water-filled road

Bhubaneswar: A road stretch from Kalinga Studio to Sum Hospital and Medical College in the city resembles a daily test of endurance for thousands of commuters, including students and patients. Potholes, deep and scattered, have turned the stretch into an obstacle course, forcing vehicles to lurch and swerve unpredictably. Adding to the misery, drain and sewage water overflows onto the road, forming murky pools that spill over with every passing vehicle.
Autorickshaws and two-wheelers struggle to navigate the stretch, their riders drenched by unexpected splashes. Pedestrians, especially patients and their attendants, inch forward cautiously, their steps calculated to avoid both potholes and filthy water. Locals said they are facing the problem for close to four months and no action was taken even after they approached the authorities several times.
"Riding on the road is no less than a nightmare. One wrong move and you could fall into a pothole or get drenched in dirty water. I just cannot understand why we are being forced to go through such trouble. Are the authorities waiting for a serious accident to happen or testing our patience?" asked Prashant Kumar Nayak, a daily commuter on his bike.
"We are carrying critical patients, but the road delays us badly. The jerks make things worse for patients. A hospital road should be the smoothest, not the worst," said Suresh Nayak, an ambulance driver.
The 200-metre stretch after crossing the Kalinga Studio gate towards the Sum Hospital is being repaired by the roads and buildings division of the works department. However, the public works department (PWD) and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) have been blaming each other and shifting responsibility for the construction of the road and drains.
City mayor Sulochana Das said, "Both the road and drains do not belong to BMC; rather, it is under the jurisdiction of the roads and buildings division of public works department. Since they are not doing it and people are suffering, we applied for special permission and passed a tender. The work will begin soon."
On the other hand, engineer-in-chief (PWD), Purna Chandra Mohapatra, said, "Our department is responsible for the construction of roads, but the release of drain water and sewerage is not our responsibility. If water from two other drains are released on the road, how can we complete the construction? We are trying whatever is possible. But if the drainage is not managed by the authorities concerned, people may face this plight for a couple of more months."