Madhya Pradesh contributes to 6.4% of the number of people killed in road accidents across the country
Highlights
- Builders guaranteed the roads will last 3 years
- 'Will send showcause notice to contractors,' says civic body chief
- 235 people died in road accidents Bhopal last year
A hundred and ninety newly built, key roads in Bhopal have lost their top layers due to heavy rains in the city over the last few weeks. Potholes have appeared, which, locals say are a danger even to pedestrians.
With most of the damaged roads being guaranteed to last for at least three years by the builders, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation has now begun a weekly review.
Speaking to NDTV, Bhopal Municipal Commissioner Chavvi Bharadwaj said they'll blacklist contractors found guilty of faulty standards. "We will be sending a showcause notice to contractors whose roads have deteriorated in the guarantee period. We will also be investigating the role of our own officials who monitored road construction." she said.
According to the Road Accident Report released last year by the central government, Madhya Pradesh contributes to 6.4% of the number of people killed in road accidents across the country. In Bhopal alone, 235 people have died in road accidents last year.
"In the last 4-5 months, I've had two road accidents. The second accident happened just 5-6 days ago, when a biker hit me from behind to avoid a pothole," said 48-year-old Sudhir Sharma, a contractual worker. Even pedestrians, he said, are in danger of facing accidents because of potholes.
Some areas of the city, like Bagh Sewania, had potholes 7-8 inches deep. In places like JK Road, where repair work was completed just 2 months ago, motorists had to skirt past gaping holes to avoid muddy waters.
"It is not just this road, but roads across the city. We pay our taxes but still the work has not been done properly," said Raju Soloman, who works at a car showroom in the area.
Last month, residents of Bengaluru held a "pothole pooja" to bring the issue of potholes to official notice. A new art form - pothole art - has also mushroomed overnight, depicting crocs nestling and swimmers diving into potholes.