Srinagar, Apr 22: Failure of authorities to repair dilapidated roads is posing serious risk of accidents to commuters in various areas of the summer capital.
From uptown areas like Bemina and Hyderpora to the outskirts of Hazratbal and several downtown localities, residents said dilapidated roads are hampering smooth vehicular movement.
“At Hyderpora stretch, an open manhole with broken bollards has been lying exposed for days. It is extremely dangerous, especially at night,” said Irfan, a local adding that miscreants appear to be stealing manhole covers, worsening the situation.
“Even the protective posts meant to prevent vehicles from encroaching onto footpaths are either missing or in disrepair,” said another local, adding that at several places barricades have been erected to keep commuters from going into manholes in Downtown and other areas.Residents said that Qamarwari, Sekidafar, and adjoining areas are also grappling with badly damaged road stretches. Locals said the condition has deteriorated to such an extent that volunteers have started filling potholes on their own. “People cannot wait indefinitely. We are suffering, and even today, many people were voluntarily fixing potholes in the vicinity of Barbarshah,” said Amir, a local from the area.
The situation is no better in the city centre, where key roads like Maulana Azad Road, Residency Road and Hari Singh High Street are riddled with dilapidated patches.
At Nowpora crossing, a large patch of main road has caved in hampering movement of vehicles. A manhole in middle of road has also been damaged.
Commuters said the damaged stretches not only pose accident risks but also lead to frequent traffic snarls.
“Vehicles are forced to slow down due to potholes, causing congestion and increasing travel time. It becomes chaotic during peak hours,” said a commuter.
Pedestrians, too, are bearing the brunt. Uneven footpaths, water-filled potholes, and uncovered manholes make walking risky, particularly for elderly people and children. Officials acknowledged the issue but attributed part of the problem to repeated theft of manhole covers. “We have replaced manhole covers at several locations multiple times, but they are stolen again. Last year, many covers also went missing from the city center and other areas,” an official from Srinagar Smart City said.
He added that monitoring is being done and repair works are being carried out wherever required.
