Blame Games between MCD & PWD over Repairing of Roads
The civic agencies - Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is responsible for maintaining 80-odd roads and PWD around 30 – are now busy blaming each other for a job not done. MCD and PWD claim that they have repaired a large number of roads in the city, a list of pothole-ridden roads issued by Delhi Traffic Police belies their claim.
“We have received a list of roads that we need to fix from the chief secretary’s office. But the maximum number of roads in that list belongs to PWD. But we will take action in those falling under our jurisdiction,” assured a senior MCD official.
Delhi Traffic Police has claimed that in spite of several reminders to the MCD to improve the condition of roads and complete the desilting work before the onset of monsoon, the city may get waterlogged if it rains “reasonably heavily”.
“Waterlogging, over the years, are reported at R K Puram, Ber Sarai, Vasant Kunj, Gautam Nagar, M-block Malviya Nagar, Hauz Khaz, Pansheel Park and Madangir. Rajouri Garden, Janakpuri, Punjabi Bagh, Shyam Nagar, outer Ring Road near Vikaspuri, DDA flats in Bindapur and Hari Nagar also get affected,” said an officer.
Joint CP (traffic) Satyendra Garg confirmed sending the letters but refused to comment on any visible change on the ground. “We sent a letter asking it (MCD) to complete the desilting work in the months of April and May. In February, too, we sent a letter asking it to repair the damaged roads and put up signages that can be visible even during the pouring rain. Now, as recently as last week, we had written another letter to MCD, asking it to mend the potholed roads.
The cops said they had already written thrice to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi between February and June, identifying at least 103 spots which are prone to waterlogging. “However, the reports from the ground are not too positive. We fear that with the onset of monsoon, the roads, especially underpasses, will be waterlogged and that will lead to traffic snarls yet again,” said a senior officer.
“We have instructed all our officers to be stationed at their posts if waterlogging results in traffic jams. If anyone is found missing from his post, he will immediately face departmental action,” said Garg.
Garg claimed though traffic signals do conk off sometimes during heavy rain, it was not the sole reason for heavy jams. “If you compare the number of breakdowns of traffic lights on such days, compared to normal days when the movement of traffic is normal, there is hardly a big difference. We immediately assign our traffic personnel in these areas and draw up contingency plans.”
Traffic police claimed that some of the worst affected areas in the city were on Ring Road in south Delhi where diversions too became a bit difficult as it was the main artery to the city.
Blame Games, Delhi traffic police, MCD Delhi, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, pothole-ridden roads Delhi, Repairing of Roads
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