Kishore Peraje / Deekshith D V
Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal
Bantwal, Jul 21: India is a fast developing country, a country that has made considerable advancements in education, economy, IT and other sectors. However, one major concern that has not been given adequate attention is basic infrastructure, particularly the roads in towns and smaller cities.
Bad roads are nothing new; they have become a part and parcel of our lives. We often see two scenarios: first, the tar or concrete roads with potholes and secondly, roads that once upon a time were made of tar and have now turned into mud roads.
The ever-increasing number of potholes on national highway (linking Mangalore and Bangalore) at BC Road has become a death trap. Commuters find it a nightmare to travel on this stretch of the highway.
The three kilometer stretch leading from BC Road Kaikamba to Melkar is in a shambles. A travel on this stretch will bear witness to huge pits on the roads; every vehicle passing here has to pay the price and no one is exempted.
Come monsoon and the situation worsens; since the potholes are covered with water, they pose grave danger especially to the two-wheelers and three-wheelers and even worse, for pedestrians.
These potholes have proved costly as there have been many instances where motor cyclists have skidded and injured themselves. This danger is not reserved for riders alone, but also for those who travel by cars and buses who are forced to suffer bumpy rides day in and day out.
Sadly though, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) does not seem to be bothered about the prevailing situation. Fed up, the public and auto drivers have taken matters into their own hands and filled these potholes with stones.
And then there is BC Road service route which was constructed two years ago, which has become pockmarked with potholes. Due to the substandard work, the road is in a pitiable condition. Potholes cause another problem of water logging and whenever heavy vehicles pass over these potholes, the water is invariably splashed on the pedestrians.
Shriram Mishra, project director, Mangalore project office of the NHAI said, "If we fill the potholes during the monsoon, it will be washed away due to heavy rains. Hence we will wait for the rains to decline and then undertake repair work."
He suggested that the potholes should be filled with laterite. He also said he would send officials to the spot immediately so that temporary measures could be taken.
Speaking to daijiworld, the locals complained that neither the municipal council nor the tahsildar is taking any measures to correct this problem. They expressed their difficulty of travelling by road.
However, the blame cannot solely lay with the NHAI. Many heavy loaded vehicles too ply on the same road which cause its deterioration. These huge tankers, trucks carrying sand and fish are equally responsible in damaging the roads. The road unable to take the weight of these vehicles, crumbles under the load.
The highway is bad not only at BC Road, but at many other junctions too. This road has seen many accidents in the past many years. One more reason for accidents is the width of the road; it is understood that a national highway has to be broad, but when it comes to this stretch, this condition does not apply.
One wonders, if there ever will be any solution to this persistent problem. Or perhaps we are doomed to tolerate bad roads, as the cycle of suffering seems to just keep repeating no matter how many times the roads are repaired.
Watch Video