[ M Doley ]
Are the pedestrians safe on the roads in the Capital Complex? The answer will, of course, be a ‘no.’
The other day, a speeding bike had almost hit me while crossing a busy township road. It seemed, the wheels of the bike did not touch the ground and ‘flew-past’ me, brushing my shoulder.
”Marna chahta hai kya (do you want to die),” the biker shouted back at me and zoomed off the scene quickly.
I don’t think I’m the only person to encounter such a situation.
Is there authority to look into the problems being faced by the pedestrians?
While there is no provision of zebra-crossing in the township roads, the over-bridges constructed are hardly used by the public.
Footpath is nowhere to be seen in the entire capital complex.
The roadside vendors and the haphazardly parked vehicles, including heavy ones, leave no way for the pedestrians to walk on the street.
The woes of the pedestrians do not end here.
Many a times, pedestrians, including school-going children face embarrassing situations when some motorists or drivers deliberately drive through puddles and splash them.
Further, the sleep of the capital dwellers, especially those living near the highway, are being snatched by the abnormally high and roaring sounds of the modified motorcycles.
Further, the half constructed blocked drains cum footpaths are turning into garbage dumps in many areas. These blocked drains are not only polluting the air but also providing mosquitoes a suitable place to breed. The over flooded waters of these blocked drains are also causing damage to the roads to a large extent.
I recently witnessed an incident involving a carcass of a stray dog, which was lying on the roadside. The dog was most probably killed after being hit by a running vehicle.
The ‘mortal remains’ of the poor animal had been moved to a nearby area of the main road.
Meanwhile, the residents of the affected area, after discovering the body were in total confusion as to what to do with it as there was no designated place to throw or bury the body of the animal.
With no other option left, they wrapped the body in a polythene cover and kept it on the roadside for the garbage lifters.
Next day, the carcass had disappeared from the spot. I presumed some of the affected residents might have moved the body further out of their area during the night time.
But I was wrong. The body was thrown into the drain of the main road by the garbage pickers engaged by the municipal authority.
May god rest the soul of the poor animal in peace!
