Repair needed, ‘double’ quick!

Repair needed, ‘double’ quick!
Deccan Herald

Post-rains, walks or drives down the Double Road (KH Road) have taken an entirely new meaning. For starters, footpaths have become default service lanes in some parts of the road, thanks to the battered condition the stretch is in. And for motorists coming from the Lalbagh side, yawning craters and water puddles flash the welcome sign. Right opposite the BMTC bus stop, in front of Haldiram’s Plaza, the road takes a break and disintegrates into a stretch of broken tar.

Mini-lorries, trucks and big cars invariably stumble into the wide potholes and get stuck, triggering off traffic jams, especially in the mornings and after-school hours. “The recent rains have made the road worse. In the mornings, sometimes, it takes 10 minutes to pass this little stretch (about 100 metres),” says Prem, who works in a television showroom on the road.

The public have tried bricks and mortar from a roadside construction site to fill in the potholes which have, evidently, not helped. Post-rain slush from last week is mixed with brick remains and water. The battered stretch is also potentially dangerous for motorists. “Almost every day, there’s a fall or minor run-in on this stretch, because motorists who are in a hurry try to speed through small openings in the traffic. They also take the footpath, putting pedestrians in danger,” says Syed, who works in a bakery on the road.

With rains taking a break for now, the shopkeepers and motorists are wondering what it would take to get the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) to take up the road repair. “Double Road has been badly hit by the rains. Some repair work has been undertaken on the road, but there are still areas we need to cover,” says BMP Chief Engineer Satyanarayanan.

Asphalting

Executive Engineer Venkatesh says BMP would need more time for the repair works. “Asphalting of the particular stretch opposite the BMTC bus stand will be taken up from Monday,” he says.