CHANDIGARH: A day after her joining, new municipal corporation (MC) commissioner Anindita Mitra on Tuesday sought a report on the poor condition of roads and cycle tracks in the city.
The civic body manages a road network of around 1,400km, among which V-6 roads (access roads to houses) are in worst condition, according to residents.
Every year 20% roads in the city are to be carpeted on a rotational basis. However, work was halted for a couple of years due to the MC’s inability to pay contractors.
After the UT administration dedicated funds for the roads’ maintenance, the MC was finally able to start work in 2020. But with work from previous years piled up, the pace remains slow.
Residents have raised questions on the poor road quality work in different parts of the city. Many people alleged there was no check on contractors given extensions even after failing to complete work on time.
While the UT and MC are promoting smart bikes, cyclist have to navigate debris and garbage on broken and uneven cycle tracks and are often forced to take the main road, exposing themselves to accidents. Cycle tracks are already narrow and in the absence of proper cleaning and maintenance, they have gotten narrower, restricting movement of cyclists. Laying of pipes, construction or repair work in and around the track area leads to disjointed tracks.
