Mangaluru: If you happen to ride, drive or walk on the cross road of Gundu Rao Road, near Mannagudda- be very cautious, because you may lose your limbs or bones or even succumb to death when you land into the “Death Trap” – a collapsed/dilapidated part of the street stretch which causes safety hazards to pedestrians and motorists who use that path. Even though the part of the street has been collapsed for days, no city officials have taken any action in repairing it nor they have posted any danger signs around the collapsed area. Although there has been no casualties so far, what the city authorities waiting for? For a serious accident to take place or for a fatality- and then only them step into action. A person or a motorist new to this area without knowing the dangerous spot may land up in a accident.
Someone may ask me, why the heck should I even care of this dilapidated road/area when I am not a resident there- but in the interest of the safety of the residents around Gundu Rao Road and also rest of the citizens of Mangaluru, I decided to write this report to inform the pedestrians/motorists who may use this road one of these days, and also bring to the notice of the concerned authorities their poor work and negligence in fixing the broken road. The sobriquet ‘pedestrian-friendly’ is one that many a city would love to have against its name. It ensures that probably the most important consumer of roads, the pedestrian is given equal stake in the development and planning of the city. Sad to note that Mangaluru City cuts a sorry figure on the pedestrian index, so much so that one wonders if the pedestrian is even acknowledged in the myriad rounds of planning.
Faulty pavements, blurred zebra crossings, unruly motorists, non-functional streetlights, and uninformed pedestrians, add up to create a chaotic mess that makes this coastal city, a dangerous place for pedestrians. Take for example, this dilapidated/collapsed GR Cross road- even though it has been in such a dangerous threat to the public, no one has come forward to complain to the city officials nor have taken any steps to fix the problem. Seetharam, a resident of that area told me this morning, ” There are some influential persons living on that stretch of the road, even a renowned doctor’s house is right in front of the collapsed road, but it seems like no one has approached or complained to the concerned authorities to fix that road. I guess no one is bothered about the safety of themselves and of their neighbours. We are living in a strange society in Mangaluru, where no cares about safety and life”.
There is no denying that pedestrian-friendly roads are not only the hallmark of a well-planned city , it is also the cornerstone of a well-engineered road blueprint. Have Mangaluru roads inculcated this important aspect into its road planning? In spite of various urban road rules, the condition of roads, and the number of accidents/casualties show that there is an almost palpable disregard for the pedestrian, including motorists. Statistics bear testimony to Mangaluru’s MCC department/PWD ignominy in the road safety department.
In conclusion, I would like to bring to the notice of the MCC officials, and also to some of the residents of this area- it’s time to wake and take action and fix the dangerous “death spot” as soon as possible, before someone gets injured or loses life. I think MCC should not turn a blind eye to the dangers of this collapsed street, so that pedestrians/motorists won’t face a disastrous mishap. The slow response to this situation is the callousness of concerned city authorities, which seems like atrocious. Forget about fixing the collapsed road for now, the authorities didn’t had the courtesy to install a ‘danger’ signboard to alert the citizens about the dangerous road. While the department is collecting road taxes to build new roads or fix dilapidated roads, I think it’s very much advisable that the concerned authorities take quick steps in fixing the collapsed street, thereby avoid any accidents/casualties in the nearest future. Thank you!
