Friday, 13 SEPTEMBER 2024 | MANSI BHAMBRI | DEHRADUN
The State government should repair potholes in Uttarakhand before the onset of the monsoon in order to prevent any major accidents, the locals said. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered twice in as many years that all the roads of the State will be free of potholes, but this has not been done yet. Considering this, citizens emphasised that the potholes tend to widen with the onset of monsoon, leading to indirect impacts on the lives of local residents, including health issues and additional expenditure on vehicle repairs. To mitigate these challenges, the government must prioritise the proper maintenance of roads before the arrival of the monsoon season, the locals said.
A local resident who works in an IT company near the IT Park in Dehradun, Rishabh Agnihotri said that the roads in the city are generally not well-maintained, causing inconvenience to commuters when driving on pothole-ridden roads. He highlighted the increased risk posed by these potholes during the monsoon season, as they become less visible due to water accumulation, potentially leading to accidents. Agnihotri emphasised the importance of the government taking action before the monsoon season to repair potholes and prevent such incidents. Further, he noted that the damage to vehicles caused by potholes during the monsoon season should also be considered.
Owner of an automobile workshop, Honey Jaiswal said that the cases of repairing vehicles increase during the monsoon season. Potholes filled with water cause damage to vehicle parts such as shockers, brakes and others. He emphasised the importance of repairing potholes to prevent accidents.
Senior orthopaedic surgeon Dr BKS Sanjay told this correspondent that the rising number of accidents is mainly caused by potholes on the roads. He explained that during the monsoon season, potholes widen and their dimensions are not clear due to water, resulting in accidents. Sanjay said that he himself has witnessed numerous accidents in which individuals suffered from back fractures, minor fractures and other injuries. He averred that about 40,000 road accidents occur due to potholes across the nation. To prevent such incidents from happening. The State government should proactively repair potholes before the commencement of monsoon season, rather than waiting to fix them afterwards.
