 ASHWANI SHARMA
Early Times Report
UDHAMPUR, Jan 17: The Ekta Bihar-Rehmati road in Udhampur town continues to be in a deplorable condition even four years after it was dug up for a sewerage project, causing daily hardship to residents and commuters. Despite repeated assurances by public representatives and officials, the road has not been blacktopped so far, raising serious questions about accountability and civic planning within the municipal limits.
According to locals, the road was damaged nearly three to four years ago during the laying of sewerage pipes. However, after completion of the underground work, the road was never restored properly. Instead of a smooth blacktop surface, the stretch is now riddled with potholes, stagnant water, broken patches and loose gravel, making it extremely unsafe, especially for two-wheeler riders and pedestrians.
Ram Paul, a local resident, said that residents have repeatedly approached the concerned MLA and departments, appealing for immediate repair and blacktopping of the road. "We have raised this issue many times. The MLA assured us that the tender has been floated and the work will start soon, but till date nothing has happened. We don't know why the work is getting delayed," he said.
The poor condition of the road has led to frequent accidents. Locals claim that slips and falls, particularly involving two-wheelers, have become a routine occurrence. Walking on the road has also become a challenge due to waterlogged sections and lack of a proper footpath. "There is no proper drainage, and dirty water remains accumulated on the road. You can see the condition yourself," residents said, pointing towards large pools of stagnant water.
Bishambar Singh, a retired bank manager, expressed his disappointment, stating that the road was damaged during sewerage works but never restored. "Even after repeated complaints, no concrete action has been taken. This is a town area, yet the condition of this road is worse than many village roads," he said.
Another local, Surjeet Singh, highlighted the irony of civic infrastructure in municipal limits. "People are encouraged to build houses within municipal limits with promises of facilities like water supply, electricity and good roads. But in reality, basic amenities are missing. At least village roads are blacktopped, but this town road is in ruins," he said.
The residents have once again appealed to the concerned department and the local MLA to intervene and ensure immediate repair and blacktopping of the road to prevent further accidents and inconvenience.
When contacted, the Executive Engineer (XEN), PWD Udhampur, said that the tender process would be completed within a week. "We are making efforts to blacktop the road at the earliest," he assured.
Meanwhile, locals hope that this assurance finally translates into action, bringing long-awaited relief to the residents of Ekta Bihar-Rehmati road. |
