Civic body turns blind eye as potholed roads irk commuters

Akash Ghai

Tribune News Service

Mohali, July 13

Though the civil authorities boast of providing good road infrastructure in the town, poor condition of several stretches here has raised many eyebrows.

During a random survey of the town, the Tribune team found several roads in bad shape, teeming with big potholes and broken berms, thus posing threat to commuters.

The stretches, which are in utterly poor condition, include the Sector 69-70 road, Sector 78-79 road, Phase VII to 3B2 road, Balongi road, near the bridge, and several stretches in the industrial area of the town.

“With huge potholes at several places, these roads are dangerous to commute and accident prone. The risk increases during the monsoon when pits fill up with rainwater and drivers, especially two-wheeler riders, are unable to spot these potholes,” said Puneet Kumar, a local resident.

Echoing similar views, another resident Jasbir Singh said, “At some stretches, it is difficult to drive even four-wheelers. There are certain roads in the Industrial Area, which are virtually unfit to use. Downpour worsens the situation. One could guess the plight of two-wheeler riders.”

Driving vehicles on the stretch near bridge on the Balongi road was a challenge, he added.

“Everyday, thousands of vehicles travel on the stretch, which is not only uneven but also full of pits. The authorities have never bothered to repair it and nobody knows the reasons,” he said.

Suman Verma, a resident of Phase VII, said, “Now, during the monsoon, parts of several roads in the town will cave. This is another threat to road users. We don’t know why the authorities do not react immediately as all the condition of all roads should be immaculate, particularly during the monsoon.”