During the rains it's difficult for commuters and pedestrians to use roads around Sadhu Vaswani Chowk because of the many puddles here

Monsoon menace, MiD DAY Campaign: Week 4,Day 4

During the rains it's difficult for commuters and pedestrians to use roads around Sadhu Vaswani Chowk because of the many puddles here

Day 4 of week 4 of the campaign saw our team at the busy Sadhu Vaswani Chowk, where the road forks into four lanes. This point is always congested with traffic.

During rush hour in the morning and evening, this stretch is blocked with cars, autorickshaws, two-wheelers, trucks, tempos, cycles and you always find the traffic police at this chowk trying hard to manage the traffic.

And when it rains, it adds to the problems of commuters and pedestrians who get stuck at the spots where water collects.u00a0

MiD DAY team with Assistant Engineer, Road department, Ravindra Kamble, and Supervisor Prakash Kharpude surveyed the trouble spots in this area.

Kamble told us, "We will check out the spots and then decide what action to take. And once we decide, we will start the work and complete it in eight days."

Survey results and proposed solutions

Nearu00a0Sadhu Vaswani gurukulu00a0
Problem: Along the line of the Sadhu Vaswani Gurukul building, the area where the road meets the footpath, is uneven. As the road slopes here, the water collects here. The storm water drain is at a higher level making it difficult for water to flow into it. An auto driver Sanjay Jagtap said that the water flows down the Dr Anne Besant Road and collects at the low point. "In fact, I got stuck here near Hotel Woodland, a few days ago, and had to push my auto out." The storm water drain in front of Landmark apartments is filled with garbage.

PMC's promise: Kamble pointed out that the water was prevented from flowing into Dr Anne Besant Road because of the uneven surface; so he would do some spade work and allow room for the water to flow freely down the road, and thus prevent inundation. Kamble said that they would tell the ward office to clean the drain cover, so that it would not block the water flowing into it.u00a0

Near PMT Bus stopu00a0
Problem: The area near the Bavaria Motors which has a PMT bus depot, has two big potholes where rainwater gets stagnated. There is an auto stand too. Hussein Sheikh and Jamir Sheikh, both auto drivers from this stand for the last 30 and 20 years, complained that "there's water-logging and slush. We have brought this to the notice of authorities but nothing has been done." Pedestrians including schoolchildren face problems while walking on the road and the city buses also have to make their way through these potholes.

PMC's promise: PMC official Ravindra Kamble has promised to tar the potholes in a week's time so that rainwater does not accumulate.

On Aga Khan road
Problem: Another area where water collects is near Alankar Talkies on the Prince Aga Khan Road. The footpath is not accessible to pedestrians owing to the electric cables that lie on the footpath. Water accumulates and stagnates near the footpath, emanating a bad odour. The stagnant water is near a couple of food joints. The storm water chamber is also not clean and garbage collects around it.

PMC's promise: Ravindra Kamble assured the chamber would be cleanedu00a0 and the electric cables would be fixed by the MSEB.