Industrial Area A near Pratap Chowk is grappling with a range of civic issues, from broken roads and garbage strewn along streets to encroachments and water accumulation. The deteriorating conditions have become a daily concern for residents, workers and commuters.
The same problems are also evident in Dr Ambedkar Colony, Ghoda Colony and stretches of RK Road. Several internal roads across these areas are uneven and damaged, with loose gravel, broken edges and worn-out surfaces. The condition of the roads is particularly concerning as trucks and other heavy vehicles ply the area throughout the day. A vulnerable stretch alongside a roadside drain has emerged as a major concern after the road was dug up for laying a pipeline. Prolonged water exposure has further weakened the edge, raising concerns over the possibility of a heavy vehicle slipping towards the drain. Barricading has been put up along the stretch to prevent trucks and other heavy vehicles from getting too close to the weakened edge. The edge has become weak near the drain and if a heavy vehicle goes too close, there is a risk of it slipping in. Garbage accumulation is another persistent problem across the affected areas. Plastic bags, food packets, discarded clothes and other waste can be seen strewn along roads, beside walls and in vacant spaces. In some places, overgrown vegetation has begun to cover the garbage. Rainfall further aggravates the situation, with water collecting in uneven portions of the roads and around accumulated waste. The resulting muddy patches make it difficult for pedestrians and cyclists to negotiate the affected stretches. “We don’t need anything big. We need the road to be repaired, the garbage to be cleared and the water problem to be addressed. Encroachments have added to the problems. Makeshift structures made of bricks, tin sheets and tarpaulins have come up along some stretches, with residents alleging that unauthorised jhuggis have reduced the available public space. The encroachments, coupled with damaged roads and poor sanitation, have narrowed some stretches further. Garbage can also be seen around the makeshift structures. Heavy vehicle movement and parking add to the strain on the already damaged roads. Trucks are parked along some stretches, while other heavy vehicles continue to pass through the area, leaving pedestrians and cyclists to negotiate limited road space. The road should be strong enough to handle that traffic. Instead, people are driving over broken surfaces and trying to avoid damaged edges. “The road was dug up for laying the pipe, so we cannot immediately repair it. Residents have sought repairs to the damaged roads, strengthening of the vulnerable stretch alongside the drain, regular clearance of garbage and action against encroachments to improve civic conditions in the area.
Because trucks and other heavy vehicles use this road, “The barricading has been put up. Because this is an industrial area, “Heavy vehicles come here throughout the day.
Residents, however, said the barricading was only a precaution and did not address the underlying problem. Instead of only putting up barricading, the damaged portion needs to be properly strengthened,” said Veetin Mahajan, a shopkeeper in Ghoda Colony. Every day people have to adjust to these conditions as if this is normal,” said Suraj, a resident of Dr Ambedkar Colony. It is only a matter of time before someone gets hurt,” said Arjun, a shopkeeper in Industrial Area A. Area councillor Nikku Bharti said the damaged stretch could not be repaired immediately as the road had been dug up for laying a pipeline. If we do so now, the road could sink or cave in,” he said, adding that the work would start in a month or two. On the garbage issue, Bharti said piles were removed whenever complaints were received. “Whenever we receive a complaint, we will get the garbage piles picked up and removed,” he said.
