Rural roads better than urban in Srinivaspur taluk

Roads are full of potholes; marked for widening, but residents reluctant to evacuate

Roads in rural areas are in good condition when compared to the main roads in the town. MG Road in the City, which is the main business hub in the town is symbolises it. While half the road is made of concrete, the other half is full of knee-deep potholes,  giving motorists a harrowing time.

With no drains on either side of the road, sewage overflows on the road during monsoon. Pedestrians and motorists have to wade through the muddy water when it rains. During summer, the roads are dust bowls.

Widening

The Public Works Department has taken up widening of the roads. It has marked 10 mt on either sides for the demolition and the shop owners have been asked to evacuate the stretch meant for widening. It appears that the department is not willing to venture to take up repairs unless the marked stretched is evacuated.

Repeated protests by the residents forced the department to asphalt Rajaji Road. Streets in Brahmins colony have also been restored with concrete. However, the many road humps are altogether posing a new problems to motorists.

Work on underground drainage taken up in some areas has also damaged the roads. The trenches are not filled properly after the work.

Roads in the new extensions are yet to be asphalted and sewage from houses in these area is let out on the roads. Waterlogging is common during rains.

A stretch of 52 km of state highway, 128 km of main roads, 7.2 km of district roads, 178 km of rural roads, 180 km of Taluk Development Boards run through the taluk.

The main roads connect Kolar, Chintamani, Mulbagal of Karnataka and Madanapalli and Punganuru in Andhra Pradesh. Srinivaspur-Chintamani Road and Punganuru Road which come under Public Works Department are asphalted. Mulbagal road has also been asphalted. The road till Madanapalli is in good condition, barring a stretch of 12 km.

A large stretch of Srinivaspur-Kolar road is also in a bad condition. The restoration of five km of road from Srinivaspur to Childaganahalli was recently taken up, but the rest of the stretch poses a stiff challenge to motorists.

Rural areas

Roads connecting rural areas were repaired under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. New roads are also being constructed and concrete road construction is taken up under Suvarna Grama Yojana.

Private roads leading to farm houses are also being constructed. Construction is also taken up under MGNREGS. All main roads in rural areas are being concreted.