The Boundary Wall of the Civil Hospital, Shillong which collapsed several months back is still lying unattended ostensibly due to the long leave of PWD officials who are still enjoying their vacations which started prior to the Christmas festival.
The water supply lines which passes through the same area had since then been restored. The water supply to residents of Keating Road, Barik and Lachaumiere had been affected owing to the damage sustained by the pipelines. The Chief Engineer, PHE had confirmed that the restoration of pipe works was done within two days of the wall collapse.
The stretch from Civil Hospital to Barik is in a state of utter mess as is causing huge disruption to the movement of both vehicle and the public.
A Survey of India employee who uses this road daily said that it has become very risky to walk on this road with all types of vehicles running over it. Another office goer said that around half of the road including the footpath along the collapsed wall is lying in shambles for long now.
“How long does it take to repair a footpath? Is this footpath going the Shillong bypass way,” lambasted the government servant.
This road which connects the National Highway from Barik onwards is also used by school and college going students as well as by the patients and their family members who come to the Civil Hospital, but sadly, the authorities are yet to wake up to the urgent need of the public.
“This road is so dangerous now that we have to be extra cautious with the debris lying over the road and the footpath. We have to walk on the road and have to be careful about speeding vehicles and bikes coming from behind,” said a mother of a school-going kid. She is echoed by another parent who said, “I just hope that the footpath gets ready before the commencement of the next academic session.”
A working executive said that the way trucks and other vehicles rush on this stretch of the road when there is less traffic is very scary because it seems like these speeding vehicles would just blow away everything.
Many pedestrians said that the situation would turn worse in case of rain. “If there is rain then the stretch of road would not remain for pedestrians,” said an elderly lady who is a resident of Pine Mount Ridge.
Another such lady wondered as to why the authorities have been sitting idle for the past many months.
“This is indeed disgusting. No department seems to have any sense of responsibility here and leaves everything at the hands of the commoners,” she said.
Meanwhile, PSG Lyngdoh, Secretary, PWD (Roads & Buildings) said that as he was out of station he would not be able to provide any information on the current status of the footpath.
For now, the public would have to remain content with the dilapidated status of the footpath and keep their fingers crossed that one day the babus of the State would pay attention to the issue. (Rajib Roy)