5 -Km-long stretch yet to be repaired
Jamshedpur, Dec. 15: The 5 -Km-long stretch of Tata-Kandra Road has turned into mishap-prone as the repairing work is yet to be completed. Jharkhand Accelerated Road Development Company Lted (JARDCL), the construction agency which had set up the Tata-Kandra four-lane five years ago had started the repairing work in April this year and left the stretch unfinished.
With the onset of monsoon, the JARDCL had abandoned the repairing work on the plea that any work involving bitumen is adverse during the monsoon.
An official of JARDCL claimed that they have started the repairing work and the work is in progress. “We are carrying out the work of top-laying from Kandra end of the four-lane. The work is in progress,” claimed the official. He pointed out the work is expected to be completed by January end.
The Tata-Kandra Road linking Adityapur industrial area to Jamshedpur has been set up by Road Construction Department (RCD)’s Seraikela division through the construction agency JARDC in 2012. As per an agreement between the RCD and JARDCL, the latter has to maintain the road for 15 years and in every five years the top layer of the road has to be relaid.
Despite a one-way road, the Tata-Kandra four-lane has become a mishap-prone road where fatal road mishaps have become a regular affair. According to data available, ever since the Tata-Kandra four-lane came into being two years ago, 200 people have died in the road accidents and more than 200 persons suffered grievous injury in separate road mishaps.
A police official of Seraikela-Kharsawan claimed that they have deputed traffic police at some strategic locations on the Tata-Kandra Four-lane, but still the heavy vehicles continues to violate the rules and cause mishap.
�There are no traffic rules on the Tata-Kandra Road. Drivers have to be alert throughout the stretch and dodge vehicles coming from the wrong side,� said a senior official of Gamharia based company.
Concerned over the rash-driving by the heavy vehicles and fatal mishaps taking place repeatedly on the lane, district police also convened a meeting of the traffic police officials.
�The rising number of mishaps is a matter of great concern. Something has to be done to reduce the speed of vehicles near human habitations.The road has not improved our lives beyond providing better connectivity,� said a resident.
Meanwhile another police official said: �we will look into exactly how many cases related to the road accidents have been registered and if the drivers who are accused of causing the mishap are being convicted�.