The drain threat to houses and roads in Pathankot - Hindustan Times
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The drain threat to houses and roads in Pathankot

Hindustan Times | ByVinay Dhingra, Pathankot
Aug 27, 2016 12:25 PM IST

In olden times, natural drains, commonly known as ‘kuhals’, used to carry rain and river water for irrigation. They used to be a lifeline of farmers as they were a great source of irrigating their barren lands.

In olden times, natural drains, commonly known as ‘kuhals’, used to carry rain and river water for irrigation. They used to be a lifeline of farmers as they were a great source of irrigating their barren lands.

A caved road over a drain in Pathankot on Friday.(HT Photo)
A caved road over a drain in Pathankot on Friday.(HT Photo)

But, with time as the population increased and other sources of irrigation came into use, these drains were encroached upon by people to make houses and other structures and the government to make roads over them. But as the time passed, these drains have stated posing a threat to the structures and roads constructed over them. The roads constructed over them have started caving in at various places in the city.

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The Amritsar-Pathankot-Kullu road was also built over such a drain. Besides, many buildings, both commercial and residential, were also constructed by the people over or along it. But, now they are facing a risk as, at many points, the road has started caving in posing a great risk to the buildings also.

Suresh Sharma, a resident of Gandhi Nagar, said that a deep hole, that has developed before his house, poses a high risk to the foundation of his house as it is just a few feet from his house.

He said the road, under which the drain runs, was not able to bear the pressure of the heavy traffic, and as a result the road was weakening at some spots. He said almost the entire Railway Road under which the drain passes at soem spots, and the shops constructed over it face the danger of a collapse due to the erosion of the soil. He said there was need to strengthen the underground drains and reducing the heavy traffic over such roads.

MLA Ashwani Sharma, said he would soon consult engineers of the civic body to make some plans to avert the risk. I would also ask the police to check the heavy vehicles passing over these roads.

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