PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The residents of Dehradun are concerned with the ongoing construction works involving roads in the city amidst monsoon. Notably, the construction works primarily carried out by Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) and Jal Sansthan have become a matter of grave concern for the residents. They complain that roads are dug up every two to three months, leading to numerous problems, including accidents, vehicle damage and health hazards. They opine that such works should be completed in one go and should not be allowed to stagger for months on end. Particularly, after the monsoon comes, such road- digging must stop immediately, they continued.
Speaking on this matter, a resident, Vikas Jaguri said that the recurring road- digging activities under one pretext or another has been creating numerous challenges for residents and commuters alike. “The commuters and the pedestrians suffer the most with the roads remaining dug-up. Things assume dangerous proportions during the monsoon. The construction materials become wet, increasing the risk of vehicle slips and other accidents,” he said. He further urged the authorities to devise an effective plan so as to ensure minimum road disruption, particularly during monsoon.
Another resident, Kiran Tiwari also said that the recurrent construction works involving road-digging have made driving cars and riding two-wheelers challenging. “As road-stretches remain dug-up, traffic congestion happens. But this is a part of the problem. What is more worrisome is that we tend to lose balance while driving or riding due to the dug-up roads. It becomes difficult to maintain balance and this may result in vehicle rollovers, particularly during the monsoon when the roads are slippery,” she said.
Asked what she would like to tell the authority by way of suggestions, Tiwari said that projects involving roads should not be dragged indefinitely and completed in one go well before the advent of monsoon.
A senior citizen from Doon, Jagmohan wondered when such activities involving roads of the city would end. “As per our experiences, various departments initiate road-related projects nearly all the year round. Aside from traffic logjams and accidents, these activities invite diseases. We, the elderly people, are particularly vulnerable. I, on behalf of the elderly people of the city, urge the authorities concerned to consider our plight and free us from the road-digging anathema which keeps on haunting us,” he said.
