WE THE PEOPLE
No highway can withstand stresses and strains without effective drainage system
Hence people urge NH-Bypass authorities to provide deep-drains on both sides of highway to control submergence of built-up areas
By: Uzair Khan
Srinagar: It is a well-established fact that no highway can remain successful until and unless it is having an effective drainage system. This becomes all the more necessary when the highway passes through built-up areas, where residents have no option but to discharge domestic wastes outside their premises. It should have been the guiding factor for the authorities that are engaged in the construction of National Highway Bye-Pass from Pantachowk to Parimpora. There are specific guidelines laid down by Indian Road Congress (IRC) for the construction of such highways. Why the concerned Engineers had not followed such norms is quite intriguing. The highway got submerged several times at several sections whenever there was minor precipitation in the Valley. It not only got damaged, but also brought large number of residents face to face with heavy submergence of rainwater. We are on record to have suggested several times to the authorities to provide deep drains on either side of the Highway so that surface water is discharged into Doodganga nallah which cuts the Highway near Tengpora.
Pertinent to mention that city of Srinagar has been witnessing heavy influx of automobiles, bringing thereby considerable pressure on the existing roads. But at the same time there has been no concrete move on the part of State PWD to improve roads to accommodate inflow of vehicles. It is no use to go for cosmetic treatment, which is no answer to the real problem. However, it was in their wisdom that the authorities in early eighties thought of providing a Bye-Pass to divert heavy traffic near Panthachowk towards Parimpora to relieve pressure on the main city of Srinagar. Earlier a 2-lane National Highway Bye-Pass had been constructed, but this too was experiencing high intensity of stress and later 4-lane road was taken-up at a cost of Rs.168 crores. The Bye-Pass is of 17.80 kilometres long and formation width is proposed to be increased to 24 meters with dual carriageway, having a central verge of 4.5 meters. Additional service roads are also proposed to be constructed at spots along the Bye-Pass from Pohru junction to Tengpora Bridge. The cost of the project being Rs.130 crore for road part including land acquisition, shifting of electric installations, water supply mains, drainage and compensation for structures to be acquired. The cost of 4 No. Additional bridges and one fly-over amounts to Rs.38 crores. This shows that there is provision for construction of drainage system and as such the concerned officials must have no difficulty in executing the same. It also needs to be mentioned that the construction of the Highway has disrupted irrigation and age-old drainage system in the area.
“ The construction of National Highway Bye-Pass was widely hailed, but we could never imagine that it was pregnant with problems. We would never face drainage problem in the area as the houses were well connected with effective drains prior to the construction of the highway, but it has disrupted the entire system. We have been facing submergence of our houses with no one coming to our rescue. Thousands of zamindars have been deprived of irrigation facilities, rendering their land barren and unproductive. There was one perennial irrigation khul which was providing water to all the paddy-growing areas in an abundant measure. The Irrigation Department used to charge levy to the zamindars as irrigation supplies used to be ensured by the concerned officials. No doubt, the highway has facilitated movement of heavy vehicles and lessened pressure on main city roads, but has placed thousands of people living on either side of the Highway in a quandary. It would be appropriate that the concerned officials construct two deep drains on either side of the Highway as constructing the drain only on one side shall aggravate the situation,” said a group of residents of the area.
Therefore, it becomes obligatory on the part of Project Authorities to take-up construction of deep drains on both sides of the Highway before it is too late. There is already one pump house located on the left bank of Doodganga Nallah near Tengpora Bridge which can be pressed into service whenever water level in the nallah is high and in normal times surface water shall flow by gravity. The wet months can aggravate the situation so remedial measures need to be taken on war-footing basis.
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