Dwarka footpaths: The hole story
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Dwarka footpaths: The hole story

With open manholes on footpaths that have been constructed over deep drains, there is impending danger for pedestrians.     

Dwarka footpaths: The hole story

If you walk on the pavements of Dwarka, you cannot but help wondering whether it truly deserves its tag of a planned sub city. The open manholes that gawk at you are reason enough. Pedestrians are at a risk of falling into these uncovered manholes, many of which lie over the deep drains along the master plan roads of 201, 202, 226, 205.

Some of these treacherous manholes are near schools while some of them are near the busy market areas and parks. This translates to a perfect recipe for disaster. SK Mishra, a resident of Sector 13, said, “You can see several manholes on the footpaths near the neighbourhood park. Manholes are also there in front of Kautilya Apartments and Om Apartments in Sector 14. Typically children and senior citizens walk the most on footpaths and consequently they are at the maximum risk. Surprisingly these manholes have been open for a long time and no civic agency is serious about covering them.”

Worse, some of the manholes are not easily visible because they are covered with grass. The perfect examples of this treacherous category are the manholes across footpaths on Road No 202 in Sectors 3, 12, 13 and 20. “Also the manholes which are on the footpaths that have been constructed over 10 feet deep drains are very dangerous. In the past, some accidents have also happened. Despite the mishaps the civic bodies have not covered these particularly lethal manholes even now,” said Ramesh Mumukshu an RTI activist from Sector 16.

The landmark Ashirvad Chowk and Rajapuri areas too have pavements ridden with manholes. Namita Chaudhary, a resident of Sector 3, rues, “It is unfortunate that the civic bodies are not ensuring pedestrian safety. It is appalling that they can be so unaccountable in a planned sub city like Dwarka. In fact, some manholes in Sector 3 have remained open for more than six months. A very deep manhole is in front of a government school. However, the authorities are turning a blind eye.”

The footpaths are under the jurisdiction of DDA and interestingly, DDA officers claim that they are doing their job and placing covers. So where are the covers? “The drug addicts steal them,” was the amusing answer that this City Spidey reporter got from a DDA official.