Rain washes away patchwork, leaves Panchkula roads potholed

Tribune News Service

Amit Bathla

Panchkula, January 24

Torrential rain has left the already damaged city roads in a worse state, washing away patchwork and creating potholes.

Damaged portions

Almost every road in the jurisdiction of the city, including the Zirakpur-Kalka highway, has cracked. The condition of some roundabouts and light points is even inferior to village roads. The Sector 14/12 roundabout, used by the MC Commissioner and the Mayor ever day, is a prime example of pothole-ridden roads in the city.

‘It’s risky’

When filled with rainwater, one doesn’t know the depth of a pothole. It’s risky. It’s a nightmare for people to drive on roads in their current condition. The Sector 14/12 roundabout has potholes of up to 2 ft and damages vehicles. — A Sector 12 resident

Mayorspeak

We have got administrative approval for the tendering process for reconstruction of roads in different wards of the city. For some wards, a tender has already been issued. As per the approved plan, Rs1.26 crore will spent in Sector 20, Rs1.43 crore in Sector 21, Rs2.30 crore in Sector 6 and Rs2.23 crore in lower and upper chowki areas to lay roads. — Kulbhushan Goyal, Mayor

Almost every road in the jurisdiction of the city, including the Zirakpur-Kalka highway, has cracked. The condition of some roundabouts and light points is even inferior to village roads. The Sector 14/12 roundabout, used by the MC Commissioner and the Mayor ever day, is a prime example of pothole-ridden roads in the city.

The MC has blamed the “unprecedented rain” for the unmotorable condition of the roads and has pledged to repair these once the weather clears, residents say the civic body is making lame excuses.

“When filled with rainwater, one doesn’t know the depth of a pothole. It’s risky. It’s a nightmare for people to drive on roads in their current condition. The Sector 14/12 roundabout has potholes of up to 2 ft and damages vehicles on every passage. Even before the rain, the condition of this junction wasn’t good. It is shameful that senior officials of the civic body sit just metres away from the junction and it still fails to catch their attention,” said a Sector 12 resident.

Mayor Kulbhushan Goyal said they would soon begin the repair and reconstruction of damaged roads in the jurisdiction of the MC.

“We have got administrative approval for the tendering process for reconstruction of roads in different wards of the city. For some wards, a tender has already been issued. As per the approved plan, Rs1.26 crore will spent in Sector 20, Rs1.43 crore in Sector 21, Rs2.30 crore in Sector 6 and Rs2.23 crore in lower and upper chowki areas to lay roads,” he said.

He said Rs83 lakh would also be spent on recarpeting work at various light points.

A resolution to improve the condition of roads across the city was passed at the recent General House meeting of the Municipal Corporation, but there is still no end to inconvenience caused by poor roads to motorists.

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