Damaged roads in Samalkha irk residents
Mukesh Tandon
Panipat, July 26
Poor condition of city roads and service road on NH-44 in Samalkha has inconvenienced and irked residents. Railway Road, the lifeline of the town, internal roads in the city and service roads on NH-44 are in the worst condition. There is no drainage system on the roads. Potholes on the road pose a threat to commuters.
The residents raised their problems several times and even protested for the poor conditions of the roads in their area but to no avail.
The widening of the 70-km stretch on NH-44 from Mukarba Chowk in Delhi to Panipat has been underway for the past five years. However, the construction of flyovers in Samalkha has almost been completed but the service roads on both sides of NH-44 still pending. Thousands of residents of the city, adjoining villages and vehicles cross through these service roads daily. But the poor condition of the five-kilometre stretch on service roads, railway roads and other markets in the city are giving a tough time to the commuters.
Brij Mohan Gupta, Arhtiya in Gur Mandi, said Samalkha roads was never in such poor condition. Potholes are deep and wide, which pose a threat to many lives. The drainage system in the city has collapsed. Sanjay Sharma from Jorasi Khas village said it was not the problem of the residents only but thousands of people of surrounding 80-85 villages were also facing problems in their daily life here.
Anil Kumar, another resident, said no road in Samalkha town is safe for commuters as all roads are in poor condition. If it rains, the service road will get clogged with around 2-3 ft deep water. There is no drainage system.
PP Kapoor, an RTI activist and convener of Samalkha Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, said Samalkha town was crying for attention. The residents have raised this issue regularly in the past months. The drainage system has collapsed here. The morcha will again pursue the poor condition of the roads with the administration. Ashok Kuchhal, Chairman, MC, Samalkha, said the Railway Road would be reconstructed beautifully with a divider in the middle of the road.
A detailed proposal had been finalised for it and a meeting was scheduled for tomorrow to discuss it, the chairman said. NHAI officials have also been contacted for the construction of service road, he added.
