Nizamabad: Like every year, people living in Nizamabad city start cursing and praying as soon as the monsoon brings its first spell of rain.
They curse the civic authorities for their failure to ensure the roads are pothole-free, and pray that they do not meet with an accident due to the ditches on the roads.
The potholes are great levellers; there is no difference between a main road and a bylane in Nizamabad. Every stretch of road is dotted with various sizes and shapes of potholes.
They are as hurtful to a vehicle driver as they are to a pedestrian; while drivers feel their depth in their spine, walkers feel it right from their ankle upwards.
Invariably, pothole depth triggers many doubts — doubts over the quality of roads, the material used, the integrity of the contractor, the officials, and doubts whether the citizens can survive stepping outdoor.
As part of Rs 100 crore “development” works in the city, several roads were repaired; black topping was done overnight on main raids in the city.
The sheet of black left people happy, they obviously hoped the good times would last.
Alas!
The first spell of rain washed away the black topping, along with the hopes and happiness of the people.
There are 960 km of municipal roads and 28 km of R&B department roads in Nizamabad city. Both the departments take up periodical repairs and maintenance works in the city. In addition, public health department also takes up road repair works, wherever underground drainage works are going on.
Residents of Vinayaknagar, Ahmadpura Colony, Malapally, Jawahar Road, Gole Hanuman temple road criticised the quality of road repair works in the city.
Not satisfied with cursing under their breath, they posted pictures and comments on social media. Pictures of people showing off their bruised elbows and knees due to falling off their vehicles in an attempt to negotiate a pothole draw instant empathy among social media users. The damage to vehicles and the grievous injuries draw more than empathy, the spark off an anger that can erupt against the administration, soon than later.
Speaking to this newspaper, Nizamabad Municipal Corporation executive engineer Anand Sagar said that they will take up patch works on roads in the city. “We will fill potholes with rock dust instead of gravel or BT,” he said.
He said that they are coordinating with public health department officials for road repairs along with UGD works. “We will initiate action against contractors if they fail to maintain quality,” Mr Anand Sagar said.
