Uneven manhole covers on Amritsar roads pose threat to commuters

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 7

Protruding or sunken manhole covers on major and connecting roads have become a nuisance to residents in the city. Several vulnerable points on stretches of Ratan Singh Chowk, Maqbool Road leading to the Vallah mandi bypass and even within the walled city can be found.

Now one witnesses a rush of commuters on almost all roads after the easing of the lockdown restrictions. Protruding manhole covers, which are a result of shoddy works carried out by the workers of the Municipal Corporation, are posing a threat to the lives of residents.

One such problem is also being faced on the stretch outside Celebration Mall on the Batala road. Though the issue has been raised with the MC by residents a number of times, it has failed to fix the problem. Unevenly placed manholes can also be seen on the newly laid road in Sultanwind leading to Tarn Taran. Manhole covers are placed above or below the level of the road, which have led to road mishaps and fatalities in the past.

“The protruding manhole covers lead to accidents as commuters fail to see them, especially in the night and during the monsoon season. It was only a few years ago that a young girl lost her life due to broken manhole cover while driving a two-wheeler. Despite that, the problem persists,” said Maninder Singh, a resident of one of the colonies on the Batala road.

Earlier this year, one could see a broken manhole cover on a stretch of the Heritage Street, which is usually crowded with tourists. “Even the area around manholes is dug, which gets covered with soil or rainwater during the rains, posing a danger to commuters. The manhole and the road should be at the same level. It’s a genuine issue that needs immediate attention,” said Geetu Ratra, a resident of the Mall Mandi area.

Workers of the MC have been on the job to level manholes on prominent roads. “The Municipal Corporation must get all those manhole covers, which are not properly placed or are protruding, removed and re-installed at the road level. The city has several roads where such manholes can be seen. I have one on the road right outside my house and children drive their two-wheelers or bicycles on it every day. They can get injured due to the uneven manhole,” said Ravinder Sharma, a teacher, who lives in Dashmesh Avenue.

Shoddy work

Now, one witnesses a rush of commuters on almost all roads after the easing of the lockdown restrictions. Protruding manhole covers, which are a result of shoddy work carried out by workers of the civic body are posing a threat to the lives of residents.

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