Almost all the major roads in Srinagar city are dug up for constructing drains. Is it an unavoidable inconvenience for the greater good or simple mismanagement? Tasavur Mushtaq reports
Defacement of roads is crime,” reads the board in Hawal area of Shahr-e-Khaas. But just a few paces after the billboard, it is a mess and no one but the authorities managing the roads are responsible for it. Not only in Hawal, most of the roads in old city that were dug up in autumn for various works like constructing drains were left that way during the winters as the works could not be completed. Even when the spring is approaching, commuters and pedestrians are not getting any respite.
The present condition of roads is due to ongoing work on two big drainage projects in the city. The National Building Construction Company (NBCC) is implementing one project and the other is being handled by Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA). The NBCC is constructing the drainage of Zone III of Srinagar city that caters to the area from Noorbagh to Dalgate and from Dalgate to Buchpora. The project is worth 132.92 crore. Its plans includes construction of main trunk (main roads) sewage for the length of 50 kilometers and lateral (sub-links) for about 90 km. The sewage of the area will be treated at Wanganpora, Noorbagh.
Another drainage project being executed by ERA has also left many roads dug up, causing traffic snarls and large scale public inconvenience for most of the last year. The drainage project worth more than Rs 100 crore will cater to the area from Rawalpora to Tengapora, Puhuru Chowk to Chanapora and Bemina Chowk to Parimpora.
However, the companies of national repute assigned the job failed to complete the works within stipulated time causing time and cost overruns besides inconvenience to the people.
A five kilometer journey takes more than 45 minutes as the dug up roads cause long traffic jams. The main road of Hawal connecting old city via Alamgari Bazaar to Kashmir’s only tertiary hospital SKIMS is in shambles. Starting from the Firdous cinema Chowk to Nowshehra, one lane, rather one side of the road has been closed to traffic.
The work has been going on from last six months with no end in sight. Apart from commuters, the patients visiting SKIMS hospital face tremendous hardships. “Potholes, lumps, unorganized roads create a problem for patients,” said Ghulam Rasool, an ambulance driver of SKIMS.
“We have not created any inconvenience to anybody; we have to do our work,” said an official of R&B wishing anonymity.
Another road connecting SKIMS with Lal chowk is also only one sided from last many years for construction of a drain. “Not only the Hawal road is in bad condition but Ali Jan Road –another road to SKIMS is also in same condition, making the patients suffer,” said Dr Abdur Rashid.
The uncovered, unmarked manholes and dug up roads put people’s life into jeopardy. A vehicle fell into an under-construction drain near Soura. “A car fell in a drain near Soura, fortunately we could save him,” said Muhammad Tahir, a shopkeeper.
Shopkeepers allege that the macadam on road near Soura came off within a few months. “Why not to put the engineer who certified the work, behind bars,” asks Tahir.
Besides causing inconvenience to commuters the trade in the areas is getting badly hit. Otherwise open till late, the market closes around evening prayers. The shopkeepers claim that there business is on decline. “My sales declined to 30 per cent since work has started on this road,” said a shopkeeper.
As the main road is in mess, the link roads are no better. These are dug up as well making travelling from one locality to another unsafe. Locals alleged that the dug up roads are caving in due to incessant rains.
“Our houses have started to develop cracks,” said Muhammad Ramzan.
The locals also fear that a mishap can prove fatal when there is no accessibility. “God forbid if there is fire incident, the fire tenders cannot move in the area,” says local resident Omar Banday.
According to locals the drainage works going on for past two months has proved a mess due to the traffic diversion through inner link roads of Chanapora and Mundibal colonies adjacent to the Soura-Nowshera stretch of the road.
“We are doing our best to restore movement of traffic on main road,” said official of NBCC wishing anonymity.
Local residents accuse the project executing agencies of substandard work. “Before laying pipe they have to do the sand cushioning, compassioning and use of roller is must, but that is Greek to their way of doing things,” says Muhammad Asif of Soura.
The project that started several years ago has missed several deadlines. The NBCC officials blame the government for the “mismanagement”. “We know we are going at a snail’s pace but we too have our limitations, central government had promised us to give money in installments and had put some condition which the state government had to fulfill but it seems that there is some confusion going on between the two governments,” said an official wishing not to be named.
