PWD’s Cement Patchwork On Tar Turns Hingna Road Into Death Trap

Nagpur: A blunder of repairing a tar road using concrete committed by the state Public Works Department is posing a grave threat to the safety of motorists on the busy stretch connecting Subhash Nagar Square to Hingna T-point. The shoddy patch executed by the PWD’s Division 1 has left the road in a perilous condition.
TOI on Thursday visited the road and found numerous potholes and loose gravel scattered across the road surface.The PWD had haphazardly filled some of the potholes on the tar road with concrete without implementing measures, like a barricade, to allow the cement to dry properly. Consequently, many motorists inadvertently drove over the cement patch work, resulting in the formation of uneven surfaces once the concrete had dried. The road now features tyre marks that are two to three inches deep, creating a highly hazardous situation for motorists.

Anup Mishra, a motorist, criticized the PWD’s lackadaisical approach, saying, “This clearly demonstrates a lack of diligence and a waste of public funds. The PWD officials were so negligent that they failed to even barricade the areas after filling the potholes with cement. It is evident that this is a substandard job. It is illogical to fill potholes on a tar road with cement,” Mishra said.
The road between Subhash Nagar Square and Hingna T-point is a crucial route for many motorists, including college buses, students, and workers commuting to Hingna MIDC. The route experiences heavy traffic throughout the day, and the substandard repair works are posing risk to motorists.
Atish Upadhyay, a frequent commuter on the road, expressed his concerns, stating, “The tyre marks on the cement patch work have now hardened, creating two to three inches deep indentations that increase the risk of a two-wheeler rider losing balance while driving over it. Vehicles are now prone to slipping due to the uneven surface,” he said.
A PWD official from Division-1 attributed the issue to heavy rains, which hindered their patch work efforts. The official stated, “Due to the incessant rains, the cement did not dry properly, and motorists driving over it caused the uneven surface. We will promptly dispatch a team to rectify the surface. However, the tendering process for concretizing the road has been finalized, and we are currently awaiting approval from the traffic department,” said the official.
DCP traffic Shashikant Satav confirmed that the traffic department has given the PWD the green light to commence work, but the agency is yet to initiate the project.