Patiala: Bumpy ride awaits commissioner as roads cry for repair
Rajat Oberoi, who assumed charge as the Municipal Corporation (MC) Commissioner of Patiala, replacing Aditya Dachalwal on Monday, has a tough task at hand.
Among the perennial problems of waterlogging, diarrhoea outbreaks due to the mixing of sewage with supply because of illegal connections and the open dumping of garbage and structural waste, the biggest challenge for the new MC Commissioner would be the poor condition of roads across the city.
Residents of Royal City face a double whammy these days as they have been experiencing bumpy rides and are thus exposed to the pollution caused by the dust that rises because of passing vehicles. The road was dug up nearly a year ago for laying a canal-based drinking water supply line. The receding monsoon rainfall has compounded the misery of the residents. Due to waterlogging, sand has accumulated on the road, too, which causes serious problems for two-wheeler riders.
In fact, even important roads, such as those leading to the residences of the Deputy Commissioner and Senior Superintendent of Police, have been left dug up on one side and witness traffic jams regularly. Dust in the air adds to the air pollution, which causes problems for residents, especially the elderly and children.
Instead of recarpeting the roads, the civic body dumped more dust to cover up potholes and sprinkled water to settle the sand a few days ago.
Residents of Bank Colony, Dhariwal Colony, Hira Nagar, Ajit Nagar and commuters travelling on Bhupindra Road said due to the sand on the road, their vehicles and porches got covered in dust.
Jaspreet Singh, who runs a grocery store, said, “We expect the new commissioner to address the plight of residents and order the recarpeting of roads in the city. Many residents, who have serious ailments such as bronchitis, asthma and dust allergies, among others, face a tough time due to the dust in the air caused by the dug-up roads. Apart from this, the dug-up road is also a death trap for commuters.”
Similarly, residents of the old city, including Jattan Wala Chowk, Nabha Gate, and Punjabi Bagh colony, have been facing frequent sewerage blockages as unauthorised dairy units in the city have been reluctant to shift to the new locations allocated by the government.
Former Mayor Sanjiv Sharma Bittu had raised the issue on several occasions and demanded the shifting of the ultra-modern cowshed in Ablowal, but to no avail.
Mushrooming of illegal structures across the city is also a challenge that the commissioner would have to deal with. Besides, illegal encroachments and parking near Leela Bhawan and Choti Baradri is another issue that demands immediate attention.
