Elevated manhole covers pose threat to commuters

Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 17

Protruding manhole covers of the underground sewerage lines in Jammu pose threat to motorists as the agencies have failed to level them with the road, threatening lives.

Lack of coordination between the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), Roads and the Building Department and executing agencies who laid the multi-crore underground sewerage project under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNRUM) have left the roads in poor condition.

In several areas of the city, especially Paloura, Sarwal, Subash Nagar, Janipur and other interior areas, the manhole covers are either above the level of road surface or below it.

“These pose threat to commuters. This design flaw has led to several accidents on the road, especially during night hours. The city is already facing multiple problems due to faulty infrastructure”, said Subash Abrol, who lives in Subash Nagar.

Under the Centrally sponsored JNNURM and Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT) implemented in 2007 main trunk sewer of 26.53 kilometers and lateral sewer lines of 65.50 kilometers was laid across the city. It was to be connected to the STPs at Bhagwati Nagar.

“As a taxpayer we fail to understand why there is such a problem. They can be fixed by levelling them with the road as is done in other cities. It is the duty of the civic bodies to do the needful”, said Shivani Charak, a university student. However, none of the official from Municipal Corporation was available for comment.