WE THE PEOPLE
Srinagar city roads in shambles, Patchwork no answer to the chronic ailment
People urge engineers to go for permanent treatment of roads and adhere to IRC specifications to avoid recurring annual expenditure
By: Safwan Khan
Srinagar: The arteries of roads present a pathetic scene in the city of Srinagar today. The potholes, corrugations and ruts have become distinct features of our communication system. The concept of surface drainage system seems to have been consigned to flames by our executing agencies so submergence of roads even after minor precipitation takes place, which contributes largely towards deterioration of such roads. No highway lasts long if it is not accompanied by an effective drainage system. What is the net result? Now most of the drivers of Public Transport have abandoned such routes, thereby putting common masses to severe hardships.
With date of Darbar approaching closer, our engineers shall embark upon massive patchwork of city roads just to give them a better aesthetic look and improve free flow of traffic, but such an exercise has turned out to be white elephant in Kashmir valley. Lakhs of rupees are pumped into cosmetic treatment, causing thereby a great strain 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 distinct 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.
Pertinent to mention that sub-grade of all highways has strong bearing on their durability. The sub-grades are designed as per soil characteristics and sufficient care is taken about drainage problem. Roads in fillings need special care as embankment formations are to be carried out under strict technical guidelines, which are laid down by soil scientists. Besides surface drains and underground drains are to be designed properly so that embankments do not slough and consequently lead to the failure of the embankments. 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 inundation and renders free movement of vehicles difficult.
"Our Engineers become active immediately 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 be subjected to rigorous scrutiny at various levels. Once there is proper microscopic examination, everyone remains alert and the result is generally good. Once there is no scrutiny, there are enough chances for bungling. 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. Why VO fails to catch the culprits is beyond our comprehension. It is the duty of this organization to keep patchworks under scan so that the State Exchequer is not put to recurring 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. All State functionaries must understand that it is the tax-payers money which is allegedly being siphoned ruthlessly," said a group of keen Watchers of Kashmir Valley.
Therefore, it becomes necessary for the top brass of State Administration to 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 be permitted under any circumstances. The roads have bearing on our mobility and the life of automobiles has intimate relation with the texture of the roads. It is alleged that automobiles in Kashmir Valley have lesser life as compared to other States of India. It is mainly due to dilapidated roads, which are ill-designed and hence prone to failures. This calls for drastic change in the construction of highways so that these do not buckle under moving loads. The sooner corrective measures are taken the better!
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