MYRA
JAMMU: Every year during this rainy season, open manholes, potholes and pits on various roads in Jammu, turn into death traps. Besides being threat to pedestrians, the uncovered pits are dangerous for motorists as well as for stray animals.
“For the past few days, this pothole on Ambphalla road has caused a serious threat to pedestrians motor-bikers and children.
Nearby shopkeeper while talking to STATE TIMES said this pothole been left unrepaired and it is an open invitation to mishap any time but still the authorities are not paying any attention to it,” said Shiv Kumar, whose shop is only a few steps away.
“Nobody is listening. Is the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) waiting for some tragedy to happen?” asks a resident of the area, who also running a Kiryana shop at Ambphalla.
The residents living in adjoining locality say that open manhole is posing threat to commuters, especially during the nights.
He said, “The authorities are playing with our lives. Action should be initiated against the officials concerned also. This shows the casual approach of the authorities.”
The shopkeepers said that many children also walk through this side and this pothole posed a threat to their lives. The problem gets compounded when there is rain and its filled with water. Any stranger can fall in this pothole, said the shopkeepers. “We have complained to the authorities a number of times but to no avail. They are waiting for a tragedy to happen,” complained a commuter, who few days ago escaped an accident on the spot. The problem exists at many places in Jammu. The manholes have sunk by several inches from the surface of the road in many areas and cannot be easily noticed, said a passerby. This poses major threat to residents of the locality, who resent that despite repeated complaints the manhole had not been repaired.
Last year, a new trend was noticed in many areas in Jammu. Covers of manholes were disappearing. And the open manholes were serious threat to commuters. Residents said they had apprised the authorities in this regard also but nobody had paid any heed to their complaints and later after strong protests the manholes were covered.