Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Aug 6: Roads and lanes in several parts of Jammu city, which were blacktopped recently by J&K Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) following laying of sewerage pipes, suffered excessive damage due to overnight heavy rains.
Just some months back, ERA had dug many roads and lanes for laying of sewerage pipes and after completion of work blacktopped the same but overnight rains have exposed the sub-standard work done by ERA as huge potholes have developed on these roads. Moreover, lids of manholes of many sewerage lines got damaged and filthy water over flowed due to blockage of pipes.
This is not the story of only one road but of almost all the roads blacktopped by the ERA in Municipal areas of Jammu particularly in Jammu West Assembly constituency.
While some roads have completely been damaged due to heavy rains and their upper surface washed away, potholes developed on other arteries of the city causing immense problems for the people. In some areas the condition was so grim that there were no traces of blacktop surface.
“As monsoon is still on nobody knows how much damage the other roads and lanes will suffer in the coming days”, people of some of the worst affected areas said while bringing condition of roads and lanes to the notice of EXCELSIOR. Some delegations also visited EXCELSIOR office and expressed their anger against the ERA.
Had quality work been conducted such a situation would have not emerged in major parts of the city, they said while demanding that Governor should issue instructions for enquiry into the sewerage and black-topping work carried out by the ERA.
“All these roads have become accident prone, particularly during rains, when potholes and open manholes of sewerage lines become invisible due to water logging”, they said, adding “the driving around the city has become a nightmare as people have to remain extra cautious to avoid injury while trying to dodge the potholes”.
“It was very difficult for me to take out my car as vast portion of lane leading to my house had sunk because of heavy rains”, a resident of Indira Colony, Janipur said while accusing ERA of putting people to many hardships. “Earlier they put us to inconvenience for days together by digging out the lane for laying of sewerage pipes and now their substandard work is creating problems for us”, people of other localities said.
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