KARIMNAGAR: After Karimnagar was included in the list of Smart Cities in the country a few years ago, the town saw rapid development in terms of infrastructure. Under the Karimnagar Smart City Corporation Limited Phase 1 works, construction work on roads, footpaths, drainages, sports complexes and parks are currently underway. However, the roads that were recently laid as part of the Smart City Phase 1 project are already in a deplorable condition and under repair.
The Collectorate, Gandhi Nagar and Bhagat Nagar Smart City roads — which were laid just a few months ago — are under repair. Roads at Vidyanagar and Mankammathota areas have already developed cracks, and those in the Rajiv Chowk-Gandhi Chowk stretch have dislodged cement granules over them.The roads had been laid with cement mixed with a chemical compound in order to make it smooth. However, commuters had expressed their concern over the possibly of the road turning too slippery and vehicles skidding during the monsoon season.
On the other hand, newly-constructed footpaths over drains have caved in at several places. In many other places, damaged tiles and cement blocks from footpaths falling into the drain can be observed. When contacted, MCK Superintendent Engineer PV Krishna Rao said that the road damage issue surfaced during the lockdown, when chemicals from Germany were used to lay the roads to strengthen it. He said that repair works were underway at the damaged Smart City roads and that authorities would closely monitor the operations to ensure compliance by contract agencies.
‘New roads had cement mixed with chemical’
The new roads had been laid with cement mixed with a chemical compound in order to make it smooth. However, commuters had expressed their concern over the possibly of the road turning too slippery and vehicles skidding during the monsoon season. The new compound also made the roads susceptible to wear and tear, damaging it in no time