Residents of Urdu Bazar and Hanuman Path Face Mud, Waterlogging and Dangerous Roads
Bhagalpur: A pipeline-laying project meant to improve the city’s water supply has become a major source of inconvenience for residents in several localities. BUDCO’s working style has come under criticism, with local people expressing strong resentment. In Urdu Bazar and Hanuman Path near Tilkamanjhi, roads and lanes were dug up several months ago for laying pipelines. However, even after the work was completed, the roads have not been properly repaired.
As a result, roads that were already in poor condition have deteriorated further. The situation becomes especially difficult during the rainy season, when water accumulates in the dug-up portions, mud spreads across the roads and pedestrians are forced to move through unsafe conditions.
Residents say that while it may be easy to dig up roads in the name of development and improving public facilities, it is equally important for the concerned agency to restore the roads to their original condition. Leaving damaged roads unattended for months after completing pipeline work is causing unnecessary hardship to the public. People in both Urdu Bazar and Hanuman Path are facing this problem every day.
Urdu Bazar Road in Poor Condition
Several portions of the road in Urdu Bazar were dug up to lay the water pipeline. According to local residents, the excavated sections were not properly levelled or reconstructed after the work was completed. As a result, the road surface has become uneven, with several pits and sunken portions developing at different places.
During rainfall, these potholes fill with water, making it difficult for commuters to judge the actual depth and condition of the damaged road beneath the water. The situation is particularly dangerous for two-wheeler riders, who face a constant risk of losing balance and meeting with accidents.
Residents Kumar Shanu, Abhimanyu and Ved Prakash said that the condition of Urdu Bazar Road was not very good even earlier. However, after excavation for the pipeline project, the road deteriorated significantly. Their main complaint is that despite the completion of the pipeline work, the damaged road has not been properly repaired. Now, during the monsoon, people are finding it difficult even to walk because of mud and waterlogging.
Urdu Bazar Road is used by a large number of local residents. Many people also use the route as an alternative passage when traffic congestion increases on the main roads. This keeps a steady flow of vehicles on the road and further worsens its condition.
Passing Through Hanuman Path Has Become a Challenge
The situation in Hanuman Path near Tilkamanjhi is no less serious. According to local residents, several slabs had earlier been damaged during drainage-cleaning work. Later, the narrow lane was dug up again for laying the pipeline. However, even after the pipeline work was completed, the road was not properly repaired.
Residents Lalan Kumar, Chandrakant Singh and Kailash Kumar said that the road has remained in poor condition for nearly three months. The locality already has narrow lanes, and the excavation has made movement even more difficult. Uneven surfaces, loose soil and gravel have created serious problems for commuters.
Two-wheelers often get stuck, while pedestrians face the risk of slipping and falling. Children and elderly residents are particularly affected by the poor condition of the lane.
During the rainy season, the problem becomes even more serious. The mud makes walking difficult, forcing people to move very carefully. Local residents say that when roads and lanes are repeatedly dug up for drainage work, pipeline projects and other construction activities, it becomes essential to repair them immediately after the work is completed.
Rain Has Increased the Difficulties
The failure to repair the roads is having a direct impact on the daily lives of residents during the monsoon. In both Urdu Bazar and Hanuman Path, rainwater is accumulating in the excavated sections. At several places, the soil beneath the road is sinking, while regular movement of vehicles is making the potholes deeper.
Schoolchildren, office-goers, shopkeepers and other residents have to face the difficult conditions every day. Two-wheeler riders are among those facing the greatest problems. In an effort to avoid potholes and muddy stretches, riders often risk losing control of their vehicles.
Local people say that simply filling the excavated portions with soil or gravel is not a permanent solution. The roads need to be properly levelled and reconstructed according to the original surface. Otherwise, the temporary repairs break down within a short period, creating the same problem again.
Questions Had Been Raised Earlier as Well
Delays in repairing roads after pipeline work have been a matter of concern in Bhagalpur for some time. Complaints have repeatedly emerged from different parts of the city where roads were dug up for pipeline projects but were not restored for a long period after the completion of the work.
Residents say that the agency carrying out the pipeline project should be held responsible for restoring the roads to their original condition. Pipeline work may be necessary for improving water supply, but citizens should not be forced to suffer because roads are left damaged for months.
Even before the monsoon, residents had expressed concern over excavation work being carried out in several areas, including Urdu Bazar and Hanuman Path. People had warned that leaving roads dug up before the rainy season could result in severe problems such as mud, waterlogging and disruption of normal movement.
Residents Ask: Why Are the Roads Still Unrepaired?
The biggest question being raised by local residents is why the roads have not been repaired even though the pipeline work has already been completed. People say that before digging up any road, the concerned agency should have a clear plan to restore the damaged stretch immediately after the project is finished.
According to residents, the purpose of development projects is to provide facilities to people, not to create new problems for them. While laying pipelines to improve the water supply is undoubtedly important, residents should not be forced to travel on damaged and muddy roads for months because of incomplete restoration work.
Strict Instructions Issued to the Agency
BUDCO Project Director Mohammad Saddam said that strict instructions have been issued to the agency responsible for laying the pipeline to repair the roads after completing the work. He said that if road repair work has not been carried out at any location, the matter will be investigated and an explanation will be sought from the concerned agency.
Residents are now hoping that the roads in Urdu Bazar and Hanuman Path will be repaired soon following the instructions of the authorities. They have demanded that the roads should not be subjected to temporary repairs alone but should be properly levelled and reconstructed to prevent the same problem from recurring during the rainy season.
Need for a Permanent Solution
City residents say there should be a clear and well-defined system for restoring roads after water supply and pipeline projects. Before excavation work begins in any locality, the concerned agency should determine a specific time frame within which the damaged road will be restored to its original condition.
The current situation in Urdu Bazar and Hanuman Path highlights the fact that merely starting and completing a construction project is not enough. A project can be considered successful only when roads, drainage systems and other essential public facilities are also properly restored after the work is completed.
At present, residents of both localities are waiting for the road repairs to begin. They say that leaving roads in a damaged condition for months in the name of pipeline work is unacceptable. If action is not taken soon, local residents may approach the concerned department and the district administration for intervention.
