Warangal: The historic Warangal City is supposedly being upgraded as a smart city but that effort is not seen when it rains. The inadequate drainage system is leading to flooding on the roads. Motorists are unable to locate the potholes underneath the floodwater and are falling down and injuring themselves and damaging their vehicles.
Crores of rupees are going into laying these roads with funds from R&B, municipality, AMRUT and Smart City Mission schemes. However, the laxity of officials and negligence of contractors is leading to poor quality roads being laid. As a result of rains, these roads are getting damaged and forming potholes everywhere.
Junction beautification works which were being taken up near the Enumamula market yard are going on at a snail's pace. As a result, the roads were battered due to the frequent flow of traffic to the market yard. With incessant rains, the heavy vehicles are getting stuck in the huge potholes formed here.
In NGO's Colony near the Ambedkar Bhavan, roads were laid just six months back but they are already damaged due to poor quality works. Flooding due to rains is washing away the roads.
An autorickshaw driver, Narasimhulu complained that the road near the Diesel Colony in Kazipet is so pothole-ridden that the suspension of his vehicle got damaged. "Even some parts of the engine were damaged as I frequent this road. Officials must provide good roads," he said.
Under the smart city mission, projects worth `2,348.69 crore were proposed. The projects include 31 roads to be laid at a cost of `357 crore. Under the first package roads at Hanamkonda Chowrastha, Hunter Road, Kapuwada, Bhadrakali temple and GWMC headquarters were laid.
Some contractors laid BT roads instead of CC roads. While ducts were supposed to be laid for electricity lines and stormwater drains, they arranged cement pipes and dusted their hands. This is causing roads to be in such bad shape.
