Guwahati, June 9: The Kamrup (Metro) district administration has, in the wake of frequent mishaps in the city owing to unprotected tranches, potholes and open manholes, directed all agencies involved to immediately stop all kinds of digging work.
Kamrup Metro deputy commissioner Pallav Gopal Jha has issued an order on Friday, directing the concerned departments such as PWD (Roads), Guwahati Jal Board, Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd and Guwahati Smart City Ltd to immediately stop all kinds of digging work.
“The departments are also directed to make proper barricading and display visible signage in the already dug-up tranches. Moreover, the concerned departments/agencies are asked to submit the compliance report along with photographs within 24 hours without fail for continuation/resumption of work,” Jha, who is also the chairman of District Disaster Management Authority, Kamrup (Metro), stated in the order.
“It has been observed that several accidents have occurred in recent times causing loss of lives and properties of the public in general due to the unprotected tranches/potholes/ open manholes dug up by different agencies in different locations, main roads, bye lanes, etc., of Guwahati city. Moreover, these have caused immense hardship and inconvenience to the public in general,” the DC stated in the order.
“If such tranches are not protected by barricades or repaired immediately, such incidents may continue to occur in the near future. With the ensuing rainy season, chances of such incidents have increased manifold, causing threat to the lives and properties of the public in general,” the order read.
The directive, issued in the greater public interest and as per provisions as laid down in Section 30.2 and Section 41(C) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, comes in the wake of a tragic incident on Thursday morning in which a Class XI student died after she fell off the scooter she was riding pillion and was run over by a school bus in the Ganeshguri area.
Meanwhile, the Kamrup (Metro) deputy commissioner on Friday sought a list of half-done road digging work/ unprotected tranches in the city in the next 24 hours to ensure that the dug-up tranches/holes are restored within a timeline.
The DC has also called for more effective coordination between the district administration and the agencies engaged in such road digging work.