The bye-pass road of Bolpur is
being widened. The road was dug up to couple of feet on one side, and then the
work was stopped for months. Now it is dug again, and the works have resumed. However
there is no sign where the existing road ends and the new digging starts. At
least some markers and indicators must be put to show that there is a hazard
just on the left of the vehicle that is driving on the left side of the road.
It is not good enough to build good roads. We must also ensure that we don’t
build hazards with them!
That takes me to the lane from
near Kalishaher temple towards Rathindrapalli in Sriniketan, near Shantiniketan
/ Bolpur. Yesterday, 13 Nov, while biking on the road, a car came opposite of
me. When I went to the left side of the road, I saw a deep crate that was
totally unprotected and was supposed to function as drain! Some how I managed
to balance myself and didn’t fall into the ditch. I am sure that this is a
normal site of Bengal…and probably that of the country as a whole. Departments
think within their own boxes. So, the gentleman who plans the road just doesn’t
care about the drainage as that is of another department…and doesn’t even
bother to put up a signage or marking or a railing to protect the travelers on
the road.
These are people who build
hazards, not pathways. Government’s post-completion audits must include number
of hazards added after its development works are completed, and also such
engineers who execute faulty plans must be punished.
