Kamptee Road Gurudwara stretch perpetually battered

NAGPUR: Motorists dread driving through the 100-metre patch of national highway in front of Kampee road Gurudwara (beneath the railway underbridge). The crater-ridden patch from GaddigodamChowk to Gurudwara- with no trace of asphalt - tests their driving skills and threatens their vehicles.
This stretch poses a high risk to motorists and heavy vehicles.It is supposed to be the lifeline for areas in north Nagpur. National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which owns the road, has not undertaken even minor patchwork on it creating difficulties for the people, motorists said.
What was a pothole at the underbridge just a month ago has become a deep crater today due to lack of maintenance. Since every motorist takes at least two to three minutes to get past the ripped-off patch, traffic inches along one side at a time resulting in a winding tailback nearly 1 to 1.5 km long. If an impatient driver tries to outsmart others, everything goes topsy-turvy.
Many accidents were reported on this section resulting in frequent traffic jams, admitted traffic police personnel. They also pointed out that the craters were leading to accidents especially at nights due to poor illumination there. Brijpal Singh, a motorist who runs a business on the road, said he had seen riders losing control on their two-wheelers and almost falling off. "Most escape with minor injuries but it is a matter of time when someone is badly hurt," he added.
On Monday afternoon, TOI saw a contractor filling up the craters but they were being filled using mud, which washes off even in a little drizzle. Singh said that the condition of the stretch was bad during the last monsoon too. "In fact, in the last 15 days, NHAI had filled the potholes at least seven times but the patchwork comes unstuck the very next day with loose gravel giving a tough time to road users. Its condition only exposes the poor quality of work by Nagpur division of NHAI. There are craters now, not potholes," said another shopkeeper requesting anonymity.
Motorists rued that even the basic rules are violated during peak hours and long traffic jams on either side of the RUB are common. Due to absence of road divider, not only two-wheelers but also heavy vehicles jump lanes and make problem worse, said driver Anuja Sharma. Another driver Harpreet Marwah pointed out that encroachment on the patch between Gaddigodam and RUB was making things worse. "It is also causing frequent jams," he pointed out.
Officials from NMC's hot mix department said civic body had drawn the attention of NHAI towards this road. NHAI officials reassured that the stretch would be made motorable after the end of monsoon.