It’s Once Again Potholes Nightmare Near Nanthur Junction?
Mangaluru: We have Summer, Monsoon and Winter seasons, but in Mangaluru we have Pothole Season. Although it’s bad to drive on the main City streets, stricken with numerous potholes — similar problems have been experienced by Mangaloreans driving on the side streets and lanes. It’s treacherous time — It’s once again pothole season in Kudla. The City streets are decorated with potholes, and I bet between each kilometre there are chances that you’ll come across potholes. Mangaluru roads have started resembling the craters on the moon?
It happens again and again and again. Heavy rains, heavy traffic and alternating periods of warm and cold have scarred local streets and the potholes pop up — and this has formed a worse-case scenario for repair crews who are struggling to find and fix all the emerging potholes. But are they doing the job right? I don’t think so. Throwing some loose stuff in a hole and just hoping the traffic driving over it will fix it, will not serve the purpose. The evidence now says otherwise. I think the only way to solve the current pothole mess is to lay a two-layered concrete road with a seal coat but the problem is, our authorities I bet are busy playing blame games.
As long as cheap quality tar is being used and layered too thinly, we will continue to have these problems every year. It’s an obvious pattern and I wonder why nobody is looking into this, or better yet, our city officials should visit other metropolitan cities in India or other countries and see how they are coping with this matter. Without any delay, MCC should undertake a major exercise to refurbish City’s potholes. If not, I have a feeling that our city potholed scarred roads will entice manufacturers of such equipment to come to Mangalore and demonstrate to the MCC officials that their machines are the best solution to their problem, like they are doing in other potholed cities.
Driving on Mangalore streets, and for that matter, even on outskirts of the City, is like an obstacle course. Drivers keep swerving and manoeuvring to make sure they miss every pothole. These potholes have also worsened the chronic traffic jams which Mangaloreans face every day, especially near Nanthur Junction. Anyone who has had the misfortune of commuting on the stretch from Nanthur Circle junction towards Kulshekar or Padil will testify what a great pain the ride is – literally – owing to the numerous potholes that punctuate the road. I bet a ride on this stretch is akin to a ride on a ‘ camel’s ‘ back- just bumpy!
It has been over two months now and the potholes at the corner of Nanthur Junction going towards Bikkarankatta are becoming worse each day, making driving there increasingly risky for motorists. According to residents and motorists, the potholes have been there since last April. There are numerous potholes in this area, including a huge one which could knock down two-wheeler riders. The potholes pose a grave danger to motorists. One motorist, Albert D’Silva, a resident of Kulshekar who negotiates these potholes daily, said: “These potholes are dangerous. We are tired of reporting the matter to the traffic police who patrol the area because reporting to MCC they don’t take motorists seriously. These roads should have been fixed a long time ago. Every year at the same spot we see huge potholes- why can’t MCC fix it once and for all ”.
While MCC is busy laying interlock bricks on inner streets, they have forgotten the main road like this one, where potholes appear every year during monsoon time, and this year too. Potholes aren’t just a nuisance for drivers; they also constitute dangerous safety hazards that can produce substantial damage to vehicles, force drivers to veer suddenly in traffic, or even cause the driver to lose control of a vehicle after contact. The gaping streets can also damage a car’s alignment and suspension system. The city crews should take quick action to fix the potholes before they get deep and worse — thereby avoiding severe driving hazards and vehicle damages.
So while waiting for this road to be restored for a smooth ride, just brace yourself because it’s once again pothole season in Mangaluru. And for sure, the MCC authorities will not take any action, until a few tiny cars like’ Maruti Suzuki Alto’ gets stuck in the pothole or a few riders fall off their two-wheelers? Until then bear with the potholes or curse someone at the MCC— and still, keep driving safe.