At GK-I, PWD digs up a nightmare

New Delhi: Unplanned construction work by the PWD has added to the woes of those who reside near GK-I M-Block as well as commuters. The work, which started in 2014, has resulted in digging up of a two-kilometre stretch in front of the busy commercial area.
Mounds of mud and vehicles parked on the road result in a huge logjam during peak hours. The situation remains bad through the day as residents and shoppers struggle to drive through.Pedestrians are also forced to hop their way through the uneven path, dug up ditches and the roadblock.
Residents said the problem has aggravated as PWD dug up the entire stretch instead of doing the work in phases. "They don't have any plans in place. They start digging at one spot and move on to the other without completing it. Due to this, the colony gate is closed. Even the back lane has construction work going on. Earlier, people visiting the market would park their cars near the gate, but now they leave it halfway on the road or inside the colony," said Rupali Singh, a resident.
PWD officials, however, claim that they have only been digging up small patches. "To ensure there is no inconvenience to people, we dig up small patches and only work at night. The work was supposed to be completed by March 2015, but it was delayed due to some issues," he said.
The project involves relaying of a drain and constructing a footpath on Hansraj Gupta Marg. "Our car got stuck in a ditch a few days ago. When I asked a worker about the status of the work, he said work would begin again at night as they had fallen short of construction material," said Aarti Malhotra, another resident.