Hisar & Bhiwani roads also fail to withstand rains

Deepender Deswal

The monsoonal rains have exposed the poor quality of road construction works in Hisar and Bhiwani districts. A number of roads, which were laid recently, have developed cracks and potholes. 

The newly laid National Highway No. 148B between Charkhi Dadri and Bhiwani towns has caved in at several places due to the rains, posing a threat to the lives of motorists, especially during night. An about 35-km stretch of the highway between the two towns has developed potholes and has been damaged due to soil erosion at about 20 spots. 

Ashok Kumar Bhardwaj, a social activist who travelled from Bhiwani to Charkhi Dadri on Wednesday last, says that the highway has caved in on both sides due to soil erosion at about 50 to 60 spots.

“There are around 20 spots on the highway that are really dangerous for motorists. The highway requires immediate repairs to avoid mishaps, as vehicles can easily get trapped in the caved-in roadsides and potholes,” says Bhardwaj. 

He says that while the highway is damaged at several places, the construction company is preparing to install a toll plaza near Kitlana village.

Surender Kumar, a resident of Bhiwani town, says that the highway was constructed recently but it failed to withstand even the first heavy rain of the monsoons. “It’s very risky to overtake another vehicle or give way to other vehicles, as the edges of the highway are damaged at many places. Often, the driver of a vehicle has to take a sudden turn or apply brakes to avoid potholes or damaged parts of the road,” he adds.

Ajit Pradhan, a resident of Dadri town, says that the authorities concerned should not allow the construction company to charge toll until the highway is repaired and made safe for driving.

NHAI project Director RK Rathee says that the maintenance work of the highway was handed over to the Public Works Department (PWD) after its completion. However, Surender Dalal, PWD Executive Engineer at Dadri, says that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has got the road constructed and the state PWD is not responsible for its maintenance.

The entire 10-km stretch of the National Highway No. 709 (Delhi-Pilani highway) passing through Bhiwani town is in a bad shape. It has developed potholes, which have caused many accidents. The highway becomes a danger zone during the rainy season as often vehicles get trapped in potholes, resulting in accidents, says Jasbir, a resident of Bhiwani.   

In Hisar, the newly laid roads in Sectors 1 to 4 have also been damaged in recent rains and the construction material has come off. Residents say that government officials are hand in glove with the contractors and neck deep in corruption. “There should be an inquiry by the Vigilance Department to expose the poor material used in road construction,” says Rajender Singh, a resident of Sector 1 in Hisar.

Highway damaged due to soil erosion dangerous for motorists 

The National Highway No. 148B has caved in on both sides due to soil erosion at about 50 to 60 spots. There are around 20 spots on the highway that are really dangerous for motorists. The highway requires immediate repairs, as vehicles can easily get trapped in caved-in roadsides and potholes. — Ashok Kumar Bhardwaj, social activist