Srinagar, Sep 16: While constructing manholes or laying of macadam, the authorities somehow fail to coordinate with each other thereby resulting in an uneven road connectivity, which risks the life of people particularly bikers and scooterists.
 This lack of coordination has left most of the roads in the City uneven as the manholes are around a feet deep or equally above the road surface.

THE PROBLEM
 There’s hardly a road without unevenness due to improper level of manholes. From the City centre of Lal Chowk to Batamaloo and Nowhatta in Shahr-e-Khaas, to Rainawari, Nigeen, Hazratbal, the roads are dotted with scores of uneven manholes.
 The same holds true for other areas like Residency Road, Airport Road, Natipora, Kannipora, Chanapora, Rambagh, Barzulla, Baghat, Solina, Karan Nagar, Nowpora, Khayam Chowk, Safakadal, Habba Kadal, Noor Bagh, Sekidafar, Rajouri Kadal, Bohri Kadal, Nallah Mar road, Maharaja Gunj, Soura and  Lal Bazar.

TWO WHEELER RISK
 Two wheelers commuters are most vulnerable to the accidents because of these uneven manholes. Recently a biker was injured while riding down the Nallahmar Road during evening time.
 “I was coming from Sekidafar on my bike and there was a deep manhole in the middle, I couldn’t stop my bike and it turned turtle and I fell down badly injuring my leg,” said Farooq Ahmad, a government employee.

OTHER PROBLEMS
 Residents of Batamaloo said accidents have become a routine due to the uneven manholes. “While trying to avoid these uneven manholes drivers often end up hitting other vehicles or pedestrians,” said a shopkeeper of Batamaloo area.
 Commuters on the Rambagh -Kanipora route complained of backache and other health problems due to travel on the bumpy track in the south City.
 The residents of Rajouri Kadal in Shahr-e-Khaas said: “Since long we have been appealing the government to properly level the uneven manholes but they didn’t pay any heed towards our grievances.”

DOCTORS SPEAK
 Doctors at Bones and Joints Hospital (B&J) said that almost everyday they receive at least two-three cases of accidents, which happen due to these uneven manholes. “This is almost a routine,” said a medico requesting not to be named.

PUBLIC VIEW
 A common man down the street has a simple question: Why don’t the authorities coordinate in the work execution so that the roads would be smooth for travel?
 “The concerned departments should bear it in mind that the road surface and the manholes remain at equal level. But they seem to be least bothered towards this deadly issue as there’s no accountability in this government,” said a delegation of residents from Baghat Barzulla.

TRAFFIC POLICE OPINION
 Superintendent of Police, Traffic, Maqsood-ul-Zaman admitted that these uneven manholes hamper the traffic movement and increase the chances of accidents. “If we had good roads, rate of accidents would have been less,” Maqsood said.

OFFICIAL PLEA
 When contacted the Roads and Buildings Department (R&B) officials shifted the blame on the Srinagar Municipal Corporation saying it is their job to level the manholes.
 SMC officials on the other hand said that they don’t have funds to raise the level of manholes. 
 “When R&B department completes the macdamization, we make estimate and ask them to provide us money so that we can start the work on manholes. But presently we are running short of funds,” Nafees Ahmad, Executive Engineer, SMC told Greater Kashmir.
 He however assured that all the manholes would be levelled within 20 days.

THE IRONY
 The lack of coordination, which is proving deadly for the common man, prevails despite the fact that the District Development Commissioner Meraj Ahmed Kakroo  and Mubarak Gul, Advisor to Chief Minister often stress for coordination between various work executing agencies. Still, the lack of ordination is visible on the “deadly” uneven roads.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 16 Sep 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 16 Sep 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 17 Sep 2011 00:00:00 IST