Your Space: Waterlogged roads, commuters’ misery
Waterlogged roads across the city during the recent intense rainfall spell have left commuters at the mercy of authorities who have failed to effectively carry out development works
Waterlogged roads across the city during the recent intense rainfall spell have left commuters at the mercy of authorities who have failed to effectively carry out development works. Readers share steps that should be taken to address the issue.
It only exposes the civic apathy
It seems that the civic administration while planning developmental works overlooks natural waterways and other runoffs. Developers are given permission to construct pretty much anything anywhere with no concept of residential areas versus commercial areas leading to constant conflict. Officials who sanction such constructions should be penalised and made to pay for the damages caused to people and property. Blaming cloudbursts and intense rainfall for unchecked constructions are not the solution. It only exposes the civic apathy.
Manoj Nair
Assess all developmental plans
Firstly, there should be an audit and check of all stormwater drains, whether they exist and, if yes, then are they clogged. There should be a policy to allow water to percolate into ground rather than stretching roads up till the footpath edge or covering tree trunks with cement or tar. All plans should be accounted for in each ward to check if everything is as per rules. Penalties should be levied, awareness created about rainwater harvesting. Nothing new should be planned till all developmental works under the Smart City and Metro are assessed and examined.
Sachin Vijay Khandelwal
Pre-monsoon preparedness must
Just another year, another season of monsoon and another display of how authorities have lagged behind when it comes to carrying out developmental works. There was a time when monsoon was often referred to as a romantic season, or brought a very filmy aura into our lives, but now the season brings fear among people. The fear of our vehicles getting stuck, water getting into houses and a regret of not buying a boat instead of a car. It is not the first time that our city has faced such an issue of waterlogged roads during heavy rains, and this brings a question to my mind, that, is work being carried out by authorities to ensure such events don’t happen? Or, are the authorities not really focussing on carrying out quality work? My suggestions would be to make sure that drainage systems, sewers, canals are clean. Now thinking ethically, the sewers, canals and drainage systems should be kept clean throughout the year, but because of the “educated yet unschooled” elements of our society who can’t refrain from littering these bodies, it may not be practically possible, and yes, I agree that we as a society are to be blamed for it, but what the authority could do is at least make sure that these bodies are cleaned thoroughly before the monsoons start. Furthermore, carrying out road repairs well in advance of the monsoon season and making sure that they are delivering quality work. When I say “quality work”, I don’t necessarily mean, indestructible roads, but maybe roads that are not damaged within the first couple weeks of the monsoon season. I believe if these couple of steps are implemented by authorities and citizens, we can definitely make good progress and bring back the times when monsoons were the romantic seasons and we could enjoy rains.
Krutarth K Kotnis
Citizens also have to play its part
Almost every society tiles or paves on every possible sq cm of space is for vehicle parking. The same happens on roads. The roads have blacktop right up to the very edge. There is no naked soil left! Hence, no natural water seepage. Where will the water go? As much as the PMC’s bad planning is to blame, yes, but the citizens have also played a major part.
Anil Kelkar
Act against officials for negligence
There is no accountability from the municipal corporation. Unless officials responsible for stormwater drainage/ potholes/ disaster management department are hauled up/suspended, any other measure is pointless/money-making contract opportunity. Besides, if they concentrate on concretisation of roads/non- percolating interlock footpaths/lack of mud spaces around trees, it will lead to more problems as seen this time.
Gautam Idnani