Roads cause a lot of inconvenience

People dislike roads like the Shah Khalid Colony Service Road. They smell like gutters. In some places, speed breakers in the middle of the roads pose a threat to commuters. Some city roads are so bumpy that even motorists avoid passing through them.

“Concerned departments have been promising durable roads for a long, but one rain and their false promises lay exposed. Roads in the western and eastern parts have been washed away, while service roads have been laden with potholes,” says Farhat Hasan.

“We have not reached the fag end of smog, and the road woes also refuse to end. A commuter in the Pirwadhai area had a nightmarish experience when one of the tyres of his car got stuck in a wet patch,” says Nusrat Zaidi.

“I went to the area on Sunday for some work. Meanwhile, it started raining heavily, filling up all the potholes on the road with water. While I was driving on the stretch, the car drove over a pothole and one of the tyres was stuck in it. I managed to get the car out with great difficulty, but the incident left me fuming,” says Dr. Shabbir Hussain, consultant spine surgeon at a Hospital in the city.

“Having treated patients who have suffered due to bad roads, I know, such potholes can lead to problems like slipped discs. Many even fall and suffer fractures. It can result in permanent damage. I want to know where our tax money is going. Every year, they announce new projects, but if that does not benefit the public, it is a waste,” adds Shabbir.

“It is the same story every year, broken roads, and waterlogging to name a few. Why is there no quality control for roads? Why do we perpetually keep paying contractors for the same road repair work? They keep filling the same potholes repeatedly,” says Talib-e-Moula.

“We let the city grow without proper anticipatory planning for stormwater drainage and then blame everything on urbanization and huge population,” says Salamat Naqvi.

Talking about other issues faced by the public, Salamat Naqvi adds, “There is a lot of filth on the roads. We have to endure this menace. People are frustrated, but RMC has failed to bring a permanent solution.”

When contacted, Shafqat Turabi, additional city engineer of RMC, said, “The resurfacing work for some roads has been sanctioned. However, the smog is on currently. Hence, we have not been able to begin the work. As soon as the smog ends, we will start resurfacing these roads.”

Farman Ali says, “One can ride at his/her own risk on these potholed roads. City authorities should approve work and cost for such areas so that people can ride and walk without the fear of breaking their backs or falling off their two-wheelers.”