WE THE PEOPLE
Potholes, ruts, corrugations and deformation of berms have become distinct features of Srinagar roads today
Hence people demand permanent treatment and not patchworks to keep roads fit to withstand stresses and weather vagaries
By: M.Shirjeel
Srinagar: Despite experiencing mild wintry conditions this year, most of the roads have developed series of potholes, ruts, corrugations and irregular ditches in the city of Srinagar. The condition of rural roads is all the more pathetic. Even many Managers of Private Transport Fleets have abandoned such routes and thus people brought face to face with unbearable hardships. Plying of vehicles on uneven surfaces causes damages to them and as such driving them on dilapidated roads can well be imagined than described.
With advancing date for moving Royal offices to Srinagar, the engineers embark upon massive patchwork on city roads just to give them a better aesthetic look and improve free flow of traffic, but such an exercise has become a distinct feature in Kashmir valley every year. Lakhs of rupees are being pumped in the execution of cosmetic treatment, thereby putting great burden on the State Exchequer. Had our roads been constructed as per guidelines and specifications spelt out by Indian Road Congress (IRC), there would be no necessity for resorting to such wasteful expenditure every year. Such patches have attained a special feature of getting exposed at regular intervals, as these are not treated properly. With a small downpour, such spots get exposed and appear as potholes. Besides the roads have attained a peculiar characteristic of developing rut formations and corrugations, with berm failures galore.
Pertinent to mention that sub-grade of all highways has strong bearing on their durability. The sub-grades are required to be designed as per soil characteristics with sufficient stress on drainage problem. The roads in filling need special care as embankment formations are to be carried out under strict conditions, which are laid down by soil scientists. Besides surface drains and underground drains are to be designed properly so that embankments do not slough, which leads to the failure of the embankments. The roads in cutting have no problem except the sub-grade, which has to be designed according to the load coming from above. Our city roads have no technical problem as these have strong bases, but what is required is the proper construction of the sub-grade and provision of surface drains. No road can have a long life if it is facing surface drainage problem, which is the normal feature of our roads in the Valley of Kashmir. A minor rainfall leads to submergence and renders free movement of vehicles difficult.
"We fail to understand as to why our Engineers turn smart and after every darbar move. They press men and machines into service and resort to massive patchwork, which consumes huge sums of money every year. It is alleged that such works are debited to annual repair works, which are not properly reflected in the statement of accounts. Had funds for the purpose been kept in the annual plan, then it would undergo scrutiny at various levels. Once there is proper microscopic examination, everyone remains alert and the result is generally good. Once there is no proper scrutiny, there are enough chances for bunglings. We know the State Vigilance Department has been receiving complaints about patchworks every year, but we have not come across any case of prosecution in this regard so far. It is the duty of this organization to keep patchworks under scan so that State exchequer is not put to recurring annual losses. It is disheartening to observe that public money is getting squandered ruthlessly. Moreover, it is the duty of high-ups to pull-up Engineers for faulty works and there is urgent need to evolve a mechanism to bring transparency in the functional mechanism of State PWD," said a group of Keen Watchers of the city of Srinagar.
Hence people demand permanent treatment and not patchworks to keep roads fit to withstand stresses and weather vagaries. Therefore, the top brass of State Administration must evolve a mechanism, which will put an end to cosmetic treatment of roads in Kashmir Valley. The highways need to be designed as per specifications laid down by Indian Road Congress and no deviations should be permitted under any circumstances. The roads have bearing not only on our mobility and the life of automobiles but have far reaching effect on our economy!
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