Dehradun: Despite directions from the district administration to complete pre-monsoon roadwork by June 7, later extended to June 14, roads across the capital remain dug up. Areas such as Race Course, Subhash Road, Prince Chowk and Araghar continue to witness traffic congestion due to ongoing infrastructure work, compounded by intermittent rain showers.
Extended deadline fails to resolve road issues
The administration had earlier directed civic bodies to complete all infrastructure work by June 7 before extending the deadline to June 14. However, many roads remain in poor condition.
“Why do authorities remember to carry out pipeline-laying or road-digging work just before the monsoon? Then they use the rains as an excuse for not repairing the roads, and we are left with damaged stretches for nearly six months of the year. The planning continues to be erratic,” said Mahesh Singh, a shopkeeper near Prince Chowk.
Traffic and safety concerns mount
Parts of Subhash Road remain dug up. A security guard near MKP Chowk said traffic in the area has been severely affected for the past week. “They have left debris along the roadside. Every time it rains, some of it gets washed away, which must be choking the drains. Commuters cannot park on the roadside, and the uneven stretch has left two-wheeler riders vulnerable to accidents,” he added.
Commuters along Mata Mandir Road also raised concerns about uneven patchwork. “The road has been hastily filled in, but many stretches remain unrepaired. The streetlights in the area are not functioning either and navigating the road during rains is difficult. The road was built barely six months ago before being dug up again,” said Asha Negi, a resident.
Public grievances and administration response
The complaints come days after the district administration urged the public to share such grievances on social media, along with photographs, location details and a description of the issue. Officials said that while most complaints received so far pertain to littering, around 15-20 relate to road-related problems.
Monsoon preparedness review
During a monsoon preparedness review meeting on Thursday, principal secretary R Meenakshi Sundaram directed departments to complete all pending works on a priority basis before the onset of the monsoon. A deployment plan for the district’s 39 dewatering pumps was also reviewed to ensure effective management of waterlogging.
Directives were issued to reassess locations that witnessed waterlogging and loss of life last year and to make advance arrangements in vulnerable areas such as ISBT and other road-digging sites. Orders were also issued to expedite cleaning and improvement works on the district’s 12 major drains. Officials warned that non-compliance would invite stringent action against the concerned departments.
