MC’s road repair work during monsoon raises eyebrows

Tribune News Service

Patiala, June 24

Questions are being raised over the road carpeting work started by the Municipal Corporation (MC) during the monsoon season. City residents say it will affect the quality of work. According to corporation officials, the temperature in the region was conducive to the road-related work and there was enough warmth in the air.

The Indian Meteorological Department declared the onset of monsoon in the state on June 13. Meanwhile, the city today received mild showers, which brought the temperature down.

The work of carpeting road adjacent to Nirankari Bhawan, near Alipur Araiyan village in Ward No. 18 of the city, was started in the presence of Mayor Sanjeev Kumar Sharma. The ward councillor, Ranjit Singh, said the road had been in bad condition for a long time. Around 1,000 metre stretch would be re-carpeted at a cost of Rs20 lakh, he added. Most ongoing works in the area were road related only, he said.

Former Mayor Amarinder Singh Bazaz said, “The road repair work is related to bitumen. It should not be carried out during the monsoon season. There is waterlogging on city roads during the rainy season, which affects the quality of repair work. The MC should have completed road carpeting work earlier.”

Municipal Engineer Sham Lal Gupta could not be contacted for his comments on the issue. Municipal Corporation Commissioner Poonamdeep Kaur said the temperature and other conditions in the area were conducive for carrying out road carpeting work. “Engineers are aware of the work. Little rain won’t affect the road work. Also, we are laying the first coat of the road. The second will be laid after the monsoon season.”

Mayor Sanjeev Kumar Sharma said the work was started keeping in view clear sky forecast for the next 10 days.