Residents and business owners along Dhandran Road are facing a harrowing time due to severely damaged stretches dotted with deep potholes, leading to frequent accidents and injuries.“E-rickshaws turning over is a daily occurrence here. At times, people are even left severely injured. Just last week, an elderly man was badly injured after an e-rickshaw hit a pothole. We had to rush and rescue him,” said Vishal, who works at a hardware store on the road. During the monsoon season, the situation worsens as rainwater conceals the potholes and many two-wheelers crash on the road due to these potholes, he added.Years of neglect According to local shopkeepers, the road has remained in a deplorable condition for years. Manish Gupta, who runs an ice cream parlour on Dhandran Road, stated that the road had been in this condition for years and every monsoon season worsens the situation, new potholes emerge wherever water stagnates, and the existing ones continue to expand.He recalled that authorities attempted to patch up some of the potholes last year, but the temporary asphalt layer came off within days.“The quality of the repair work is very bad. On paper, the road may be declared repaired. But it is the same old story for us here a few days later,” he said.Emphasising the need for a permanent solution, Gupta added, “The road doesn’t just need patching for name’s sake. It needs to be rebuilt.”Acknowledging the concerns raised by the residents, Gill constituency member of legislative assembly (MLA) Jiwan Siwan Sangowal stated that the road requires comprehensive, long-term reconstruction rather than superficial patchwork.Assuring swift action once the rainy season concludes, the MLA said, “We will have it completely repaired right from where it starts near the Jain Temple on 200-feet road till Dhandran village after the monsoon.”
