Cox Town reels under double whammy

Cox Town reels under double whammy
Readers Join TOI In Drawing The Authorities’ Attention To The Pathetic Condition Of Our Roads
TIMES NEWS NETWORK


It isn’t just the flooding of drains here but bad roads that worry the residents of Cox Town. The road, stretching from MM Road till Buddha Vihara Junction extending right up to Assaye Road, is punctuated with potholes. The rain on Wednesday night flooded not just the drain but also the roads causing a severe traffic jam. Many commuters were trapped in traffic for hours, desperately trying to find a way out of the slushy pool.
But, this is not the first time. This area was badly hit earlier this month, on August 14. As in most other flood-prone areas, water does not stagnate for long but poses serious problems for people while it lasts.
The situation is worse during rainy days when potholes get filled with water and pose serious threat to both vehicles and pedestrians. During peak hour traffic, it’s particularly bad — traffic slows down to a crawl, and it takes hours for the mess to be cleared.
There are two major ongoing development projects — the ITC-Wheeler Road flyover and repair work of the storm water drain and this placed further stress on the traffic. Many residents and shop dwellers here say the disposal of debris is highly unorganized with the material not cleared for days on end. These heaps further block traffic.
The BBMP is hopeful of some changes. “The roads have been surveyed and potholes here will be filled up on priority. Work will begin after the rainy season. In addition, the work on the flyover has also been progressing despite the initial hitches due to escalating prices of steel. However, we have cleared up most of the obstacles from our end, including transfer of additional land,’’ says BBMP special commissioner (projects) K R Srinivasan.
According to BBMP chief engineer (SWD) Chikkarayappa, work on the storm water drain will be complete in all respects in another 15 days. DESPATCHES FROM EXASPERATED DENIZENS ALL OVER THE CITY