mid-day editorial: Why must citizens pay for govts neglect?

Days after this paper ran a report about a Nalasopara resident paying out of his own pocket to paint highlighter strips on speedbreakers between Nirmal village (Wagholi) and Kalamb beach, the applause and plaudits have not stopped pouring

Days after this paper ran a report about a Nalasopara resident paying out of his own pocket to paint highlighter strips on speedbreakers between Nirmal village (Wagholi) and Kalamb beach, the applause and plaudits have not stopped pouring in for this selfless act.

This social activist had said that speeding and absence of streetlights in the area had resulted in several fatalities on the 4-km stretch. It is a tourist-heavy stretch, considering the beaches in the vicinity, which makes it all the more important for signage to be clear and the roads to be well illuminated. Of course, people using private and public transport cannot absolve themselves of responsibility. They need to drive slowly, cautiously and observe traffic rules, remembering only one mantra: Speed kills.

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While it is remarkable that a local is painting the speed breakers, this job should have been done by the authorities. We do not want one agency passing the buck, saying this or that person is responsible. It should not take months, or a year, to get the go-ahead to fix the peeling paint off a speed breaker and give it a fresh coat of paint.

We often see little things that get mired in bureaucratic tangles, and then it takes ages to de-tangle the red before any work can begin. So is it with speed breakers across the city. Many may need a fresh coat of paint, and periodic checks and upkeep is absolutely necessary. It should not take prodding by locals or media reports to alert the authorities to the sorry state of speed breakers.

While that is one aspect, the authorities must also look into improving streetlights on the Nalasopara stretch. Optimum illumination and upkeep of infra is the best way to make those fatality figures drop.

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