Digging Never Stops in Mangaluru! Now It’s MESCOM’s Turn
Mangaluru: One thing for sure, that you’ll all agree with me is that-Digging of roads/streets/bye-lanes will never stop in Mangaluru no matter what- and we have seen it and will see in future too. Without proper planning new roads are constructed, and after a while the new roads are dug to lay cables- and this is the present case where the whole stretch of City street from Karavali Circle (Kankanady Pumpwell) till Hamilton Circle is getting dugged to install new 33-KV power cable, a project of Mangaluru Electricity Supply Company (Mescom). This initiative has been taken up by Mescom due to frequent disruptions in power supply due to bad weather, falling off tree branches, and other reasons.
But it’s a mess already out there, and traffic and pedestrians are facing the brunt of it. The digging work has already been completed near Balmatta, Don Bosco Hall, Balmatta Road, Hampankatta Circle and little further. And the work is going on full force since Mescom authorities want to complete this project before the start of monsoon season. But in the meantime, Mescom should also look at the safety of these laborers by not rushing to carry out the work- since you are dealing with power cables. Installing 33 KV power cable underground is a risky job, where the workers should see that the cables are not damaged while installing and other facts.
It is learnt that while Mallikkatte Mecom sub-division is undertaking the cable laying work from Kankanady Pumpwell till Hampankatta Circle, while the remaining stretch of the work from Hampankatta Circle till Hamilton Circle will be under the supervision of Nehru Maidan Mescom sub-division. While the digging work is in progress pedestrians are having a tough time to walk on the footpaths or cross the roads. There are interlock bricks scattered all over and dug up mud is blocking pedestrians movement. As per Mescom officials, the toughest task they have to face is while they are shifting existing power poles and installing new 33-KV power cables, since many commercial complexes, educational institutions, hospitals etc are located on this project line.
While a few local citizens have complained about the safety of these workers, mostly from North Karnataka, who are working day and night, but Mescom officials have assured that proper procedures and precautions will be adhered to while laying the power cables. Mescom has also informed that they won’t be disconnecting power supply fully for long hours, instead, would take up work part by part and disconnect power supply for short hours while laying the cables. But their aim is to finish the work well before monsoon starts.
Until the work is fully completed, pedestrians have to bear with all these inconveniences and also there would be traffic snarls which will be an added nightmare. Now that these roads/footpaths have been dug, it will be a long long time before they are fully restored to the original condition- and that has been the situation in the past and will also be in future too?
Complaints! Complaints! Complaints!
In India, one should look at everything like a horse – just straight ahead!
You nor God above can change anything in India as it is one huge unplanned country. Mangalore too is just that. India is chaotic and messed up in all aspects from planning to politics!
In countries abroad – an entire State/County is charted out and worked upon for future infrastructure, amenities, etc. by Town Planning Committee decades in advance. So as to give an aesthetic look to a State, town, and a country.
Thereafter, the roads, the bi-lanes, the drainage, the sewerage, the water pipes, the electricity, the traffic lights, the pedestrian crossings, the playgrounds, the gardens, the supermarket areas, the prayer areas, the school areas, and everything in-between are charted out on drawings, worked on actual future population v/s area, and then all the above jobs are executed, much before even one single housing or commercial unit is given permission to build The USA, Kuwait, and the entire Gulf are some of such countries.
In India it is just the opposite – first, come the hutments, then the hawkers, then shanty villages, then shanty towns, then comes the Municipality, and then everybody is on the TAKE, then come the Complaints. Town Planners are not in the picture at all.
Development in India means concrete jungles
that fetch free and huge revenue to the government from builders. There’s
not even a pedestrian crossing for ordinary citizens leave alone a public
bench or a park!