Pics: Neil Rasquinha

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru 

Mangaluru, Jul 23: Drainage systems are meant to clear standing water and effluents and keep the roads and paths clear for the vehicles and pedestrians to move about without problems. Coastal regions in particular are in need of an efficient storm drain system as heavy rains need better drains to transport water to the sea. If there is any shortcoming either at the stage of planning or execution, problems are bound to occur, which can be deadly at times. 

One such problematic stretch is the airport road via Circuit House which is used even by VVIPs to reach Nehru Maidan from the airport. Whenever there is excessive rain, the storm drains on this road are unable to carry rainwater and therefore, large pools get formed at different locations. Complicating the issue further is a freshly dug trench in front of Godrej Interio showroom where it is present since a week. The work has been stalled but nothing has been done either to cover up the trench, install barricades or display warning sign. The plastic barricades which have been provided will only add to the complexity of the issue as vehicles or pedestrians can suffer a lot.  

This could be hashtagged (in tune with the current trend) as a concrete road without basic plan, like several others in the city. School children, office-goers, residents, and everyone else using this road suffers because of inefficient storm drains. Incomplete and half-completed footpaths pose terrible problems. Pedestrians using the above junction where the road leads to Kadri temple new road can be sure of getting a complimentary bath without opting for it. 

Battaguda Junction where three roads, one from Bejai, one from the Circuit House, and the other from Kadri Kambla meet, is one the most dangerous points. Particularly during peak hours, using this junction can be a daunting task. People can be seen doing their best to move ahead with their vehicles by hook or crook. They only further contribute to the chaos. Badly built and maintained potholes often overflow at this point. The overflowing effluents get mixed with rainwater freely and get sprayed on the pedestrians, resulting in skidding of two-wheelers or entering the drain-in facility at the footpath. The water also enters the two shops near the junction occasionally. 

The people living in this area request the district administration, city corporation and the city police to look into the problem faced by the people residing in the said area and take steps to rectify the mistakes. They have also been urged to study the problems faced by the people using this road. Proper drainage facility is the need of the hour, followed by proper pathways for the pedestrians and speed breakers for vehicles. Problems arising out of poor management of this road right from Circuit House to Kadri Kambla Junction also should not be neglected.