We know that roads are the arteries through which the economy pulses but unfortunately , come some rains for a day or two in the city of Jammu , the foreboding in the general public of how to walk on roads , worst plying of vehicles, gets deeply into the minds and it is proved right in most of the cases when the worst happens like a vehicle getting struck up in a pothole creating problems for the victim as well as leading to traffic disruption in a city otherwise facing a chaotic traffic scenario. Workers rushing to jobs, markets opening , students to schools, office goers to offices and the sick to hospitals are increasingly suffering due to ”hostile” and pathetic condition of these damaged roads.
Why is it that our roads are built in such a way that they are too fragile to bear a slight brunt of a downpour resulting in potholes cropping up and those already existing getting horrible in depth and width imperilling the life and limb of a motorist? Why is the standard of the construction of these roads so much abysmally hopeless that even a hen can preen itself in being capable enough to damage any part of blacktopped surface of a road with a slight rubbing with its claws ? It is because the developed potholes are seldom given the treatment as prescribed on technical basis instead some gravel is used to fill them up only to resurface again within days. Improper and hopeless drainage system on the roads , the drains on both sides overflowing as they usually remain choked due to accumulation of all that is collected from sweeping and otherwise, filled at random along with sundry items of garbage.
Repairs are done usually by unskilled labourers and ”supervised” occasionally by the contractors who usually are worried to finish the job and save on expenses . Seldom are seen engineers and technicians supervising the quality and the standard of the construction/ repairs and that is the bane of the poor condition of Jammu roads. In case, we start naming roads and counting different types of humps thereon in the shape of ditches, potholes, dug up stretches etc , it will require enough space and time but since most of these roads are not the ones used by the VIPs and through which the vehicles of the VIPS pass hence no one really cares to maintain them. Development and progress usually are referred to in the shape of more of infrastructural development where good, motor-able and better quality roads are built and provided for the facilities of the public and therefore any claims by the UT Government of development mean a zilch if the condition of roads is like Jammu roads. The argument , if any put forward, that rains were of unusual intensity hence roads got damaged cannot hold water as every monsoon brings rains and brings very often heavy ones lasting for an hour or so or raining mildly for hours together and that is no excuse for roads getting damaged. Had proper care and attention been paid as a procedural routine to strictly check and ensure quality of construction and more so repairing damaged parts , roads ordinarily in that case can never get damaged.
We have instances where those roads which were re-laid only a few weeks ago have turned into the condition of having virtually been ploughed which adequately exposes and lays bare all that is being done in the name of construction, repairs and maintenance of roads in the city not to speak of its outskirts . It is not the case of most of the roads in respect of and as a result of rains , whether during the currency or thereafter but even otherwise most of the roads are punctuated with ditches, potholes, uneven surfaces, dug out patches, strewn construction material and the like all leading to the woes of the commuters and vehicle owners. It is a travesty that huge registration fees , road tax , toll tax etc are collected from car owners, private and public transporters and in case of different types of vehicles , such a tax /fees is collected in one go and as onetime payment but adequately reasonably maintained roads are denied to these vehicle owners .
Those vehicles particularly two wheelers which get skidded off the road due to ”encountering” disguised ditches are neither reported unless the owner or the pillion rider gets grievously injured nor are such cases brought into the notice of the authorities to seek compensation for not maintaining roads. In such cases, the ”benefit of doubt” goes against the victim as it is not known as to which particular authority is to be approached for seeking compensation and penalty. When we talk of roads in a shambles, we usually refer to the roads in the city, the condition of interior roads leading to localities , residential colonies etc is pitiable and pathetic . Not only are these interior roads at the mercy and whims of the authorities as to when ”repair” or not repair them but no one in fact highlights their condition except in social media and that too in a negligible measure. The condition of most of the interior roads fairly exposes the hollow claims of the concerned Public Works Department / Municipal authorities , Housing Boards etc as the case be that enough is being done for maintenance of roads. Majority of these interior roads suffer on account of overflowing drains as they are choked with polythene bags, used and discarded stuff and garbage . We hope the administration wakes up to the realities of the condition of Jammu roads with a lasting solution.
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