Karnataka - Hubli-Dharwad   

Suspended civil work causes hardship

HUBLI: Protruding out of the edge of the footpath, they hardly look dangerous to the passers-by who walk on the pavement keeping distance from them.

However, at night when one hardly notices the more-than-six-inch-bolts, they become dangerous causing injuries to people who stumble over them.

In the past few months several pedestrians, who use the pavements on the Station Road in Hubli, have hurt themselves or if they were fortunate enough, somehow escaped getting seriously hurt.

It all started after the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation decided to hand over, on build own transfer basis, several main roads in the twin cities to private players for constructing medians and installing decorative lamp posts and generate income by displaying advertisements.

The idea was welcomed by the citizens also as some of the main roads in the twin cities started looking neat and pleasant, especially during night.

However, while in most cases, the construction of median, installing of lamp posts and other beautification works went on smoothly, the work on Station Road was stopped midway.

The private advertising agency, which had bagged the contract, suspended the work to install lamp posts after it fitted the bolts into the pavements. As a result, the pedestrians walking on pavements started facing problems.

The bolts left uncovered, made the people stumble over them and get hurt. Some of the shopkeepers have complained to the corporation authorities after they witnessed several such incidents.

When nothing happened, a few of them finally got some workers to cover the bolts with cement and sand, which, to some extent, has lessened the seriousness of the injury. While many bolts still remain posing a danger to pedestrians.

When contacted, the corporation officials said that the work on Station Road was stopped as the private agency had taken up the work before completing the work on the beautification of Kittur Channamma Circle, which was to be taken up on priority.

They said the work on beautification of Station Road would be allotted to another agency at the earliest.

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