Jal Jeevan Mission Potholes Plague Jhaknavada Residents, Fear of Accidents During Festivals

जिला झाबुआ | राजेश काँसवा

Jal Jeevan Mission Roadworks Cause Havoc in Jhaknavada

Construction work under the central government's ambitious Jal Jeevan Mission scheme in Jhaknavada, Jhabua district, Madhya Pradesh, has created significant problems for local residents. Roads have been dug up to lay pipelines for providing tap water connections to every household.

Despite the completion of pipeline work, these excavated areas have not been properly filled or levelled, causing traffic disruption and considerable inconvenience to commuters. Waterlogging in many areas due to leaking valves opened for tap connections poses a danger to both vehicle drivers and pedestrians.

Festive Season Safety Concerns Grow

With the ongoing period of religious and social events, religious processions will have to navigate these dilapidated roads during the upcoming festivals. Women and youth participating in the public Navratri festival will have to use these unsafe routes to reach the Garba pandals.

The situation becomes more perilous at night, as construction materials, stones, and open pipes make it difficult for passersby to gauge the depth of the potholes. This has significantly increased the risk of accidents. Locals emphasize that merely digging roads is not the completion of the scheme; repairing roads, filling potholes, and removing construction debris after laying pipelines are integral parts of the project.

PHE Department's Performance Under Scrutiny

The functioning of the Public Health and Engineering (PHE) department is facing serious questions regarding this mismanagement. Local citizens are questioning why timely action is not being taken to address the widespread disarray, even with departmental officials present for supervision. Concerns are also raised about whether the quality of work is being regularly checked at the departmental level.

Citizens have expressed concern that people are forced to contend with these life-threatening potholes during the important festive occasions. The residents have demanded a detailed site-wise inspection of all works completed under the Jal Jeevan Mission and completion of any pending tasks within the stipulated time frame.

Local residents are demanding that a detailed site-wise inspection of all works completed under the Jal Jeevan Mission be conducted and any remaining tasks be completed within the stipulated timeframe.

Political Representatives Voice Concerns, Offer Assurances

BJP Mandal President Jitendra Rathore expressed his concern, stating that the villagers are extremely troubled and the construction work should be completed quickly to avoid any inconvenience during the upcoming festivals. Former MP representative Rajesh Kanswa also voiced his worry, noting that after Ganesh Chaturthi and Teja Dashami, mothers and sisters will be forced to navigate these potholes to reach Garba pandals during Navratri, while the responsible department remains oblivious.

In response, Assistant Engineer of the PHE department, Petlawad, Shailesh Baghel, explained that the artisans working on the pipelines had gone to their native villages for the festivals, which slowed down the work. He assured that the artisans have returned and work to repair the roads will be completed within the next one or two days.

Public Demand and Future Outlook

The residents are now awaiting the resolution of these issues, with hopes for swift repairs as festivals approach to prevent any untoward incidents. It remains to be seen how effectively the PHE department will implement its assurances and how long it will take for the situation on the ground to improve, bringing relief to the local inhabitants from these persistent problems.