Poor roads a major concern in accident prone Rudrapur

RUDRAPUR: Ahead of the rainy season, potholes with yawning gaps, flying dust and water stagnation are a major cause of concern for residents living in different colonies of the city.
Motorists encounter bumpy rides every day as poor road condition pose inconvenience to the commuters. Moreover, certain stretches have caved in. Even the National Highway 74 is riddled with potholes which often hinder smooth traffic flow and cause congestion.These potholes are causing accidents as well.
The civic body has recarpeted only a few stretches but the Rudrapur municipal corporation (RMC) despite public inconvenience has ignored its major restructuring.
Some patchworks have been done on NH-74 and people fear that after the rainy season, the road condition will become worse.
Apart from bad roads, the delay in recarpeting them is causing inconvenience to residents. After digging up roads for laying pipelines and cables the civic bodies are taking their own time to recarpet them. Rampur and Pantnagar roads are high traffic zones. For past one year authorities are working on these stretches and yet the works remain incomplete.
City resident, Vikas Narang, said, “The civic body should construct or repair those roads which are in a poor condition on a priority basis.”
Awas Vikas councillor, Rajendra Kalra, said, “The road issue is in my mind and I am getting a slab of concrete to be put on the roads to avoid any accident.”
The situation remains the same in residential colonies in Civil Lines, Adarsh Nagar, Rajiv Nagar, Indira Nagar and Ravindra Nagar. Avoiding such poor roads, many residents are taking long detours to reach their workplaces.
The plight of residents in Transit Camp is no different. “It is a low level area and all the overflowing rain and drain water remain stagnate in our colony. During every rainy season, roads in our locality get worn out and despite repeated complaints the RMC authorities are not bothered to lay cement roads,” said Parimal Roy, a local resident.
Former Congress minister, Tilak Raj Behar, said, “The scene is no different in other parts of the district. There are eight legislators - two cabinet ministers hailing from the district. Also, there is a double-engine BJP government at the Centre and the state.”
District magistrate Neeraj Kharwal assured, “The concerned authorities have been directed to repair all such roads at the earliest. The widening of NH-74 and 87 is in its final stage. The road construction work will be completed before the arrival of monsoon.”