Commuters suffer due to construction work on Ashok Rajpath

Patna: Commuters in the city are facing inconvenience due to the poor condition of roads and accumulated construction debris along a major stretch of Ashok Rajpath, where work is underway for the double-decker flyover project's drainage pipeline installation. The entire stretch has been dug up, making it even difficult for pedestrians to walk.
The thoroughfare, which serves as a vital link to numerous educational institutions, including schools and colleges; hospitals; libraries; business centres; market areas, including the wholesale medicine and surgical market; coaching institutes and hostels, becomes severely congested. For over two weeks, commuters encountered persistent traffic congestion, risk of accidents due to the deteriorating condition of the existing road, and increased travel time.
The situation turned worse on Sunday when light drizzle was witnessed in the city. Puddles, slush, and accumulated water made it difficult for people to drive and walk. Many two-wheelers narrowly escaped after their vehicles skidded and toppled on the road.
Abhinav Kumar, a commuter, said due to ongoing construction work, the road has become narrow and in a dilapidated condition. "Despite this, the auto and e-rickshaw drivers create multiple queues, blocking the flow of traffic from both sides. Additionally, the movement of heavy construction vehicles causes unnecessary traffic jams for hours," he said.
Shruti Agarwal, a resident of Buddha Colony, whose daughter studies in a prominent school, said it took her more than 50 minutes to return home after picking up her daughter from the school. "It is impossible to even drive four-wheelers on Ashok Rajpath, as only one lane is operational for traffic movement from both sides. The condition of the road is pathetic; even the light drizzle will make the situation worse for commuters," she said.
A resident of Khazanchi Road, Manoj Singh, said construction waste, mainly soil, was piling up on the road, which was quite dangerous for motorists to manoeuvre on Ashok Rajpath. "The authorities should ensure proper lifting of debris at the earliest. Besides, the contractors have not placed any barricades to prevent road accidents. There is no proper lighting. Serious accidents can happen due to this negligence," he said.
Shailesh Kumar, who runs a garment shop in the area, said patients travelling to the PMCH faced a harrowing time reaching the hospital. "Every day, I see them struggling. The situation worsens during peak hours when students and office-goers share the narrow passable portion of the road. Authorities need to expedite repairs to restore normal traffic flow," he said.
Another commuter, Vishakha Sinha, complained that the contractor should dig a small portion for laying the pipeline. "There was no need to dig up the entire road in one go," she added.
The engineers of construction company, Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam Limited, told this reporter that they have set the target to complete the drainage work and construction of the road by third week of May. "Around 60% of the work is completed, and the deadline is to complete the construction of the road by the end of May. The double-decker flyover is likely to open by the first week of May, which will provide some relief to the commuters and reduce the traffic load on Ashok Rajpath," the engineers said.