Prayagraj: While the commuters are facing hardship to travel between Teliyarganj and Shantipuram on Prayagraj -Lucknow highway following the closure of Phaphamau bridge for repair works, the unlevelled pontoon bridge being constructed on river Ganga for transportation of light heavy vehicles – cars and SUVs – has compounded the woes of vehicle owners who are spending extra bucks to maintain their vehicles.
Ironically, divisional commissioner Sanjay Goyal has too expressed his concern over laxity being performed by PWD officials for slow repair work on Phaphamau bridge and further directed them to speed up the repair works.
Commissioner also asked PWD officials to conduct proper leveling of pontoon bridge and deploy a JCB machine near the pontoon bridge to maintain leveling work, as required, and sprinkle water on bridge for better transportation condition till the repair works got over. The unlevelled pontoon bridge is posing problems for commuters since the route has been diverted through pontoon bridge. Commuters alleged the checkered plates sometime comes in such bad shape that a mishap seems inevitable. They also asserted that things would be better only transportation will start on main Phaphamau bridge on the city’s busiest route. Dr Anupam Dwivedi says, “Driving vehicle on pontoon bridge was the worst experience and I have already spent money for the maintenance of car”. He further added, “If commuters take long route via Andhawa crossing to reach Holagarh from Civil Lines, they have to face jam like situation as well”. Another commuter, Madhukar Srivastava asserted, driving has become next to impossible on this stretch. He added apart from unleveled condition of pontoon bridge, driving on Bela Kachar route has also become difficult to reach Phaphamau.
Senior corporator and UPCC general secretary Mukund Tiwari said that commuters are facing unwanted troubles to travel between Teliyarganj and Shantipuram. He further demanded authorities concerned to speed up repair works on Phaphamau bridge so that commuters could heave a sigh of relief.
The majority of vehicles plying on the pontoon bridge forth past fortnight develop snags regularly.The unlevelled condition also cause damages to vehicles’suspensions. The cost of repairing these damages in most cases for SUVs and other expensive cars range from Rs 3,000 to Rs 10,000, and these are not even covered under the insurance policies.
“Insurance can be claimed only when cars suffer damages in accidents. The cost of luxury cars is spiraling up, but the damages cannot be insured,” said the owner of an automobile garage at CivilLines adding that despite holding insurance policies, car owners have to shell out money for repairs.” Apart from suspensions, ravaged roads wreak havoc ondifferent car parts, especially axles, wheels and tyres. “The car’s alignment system suffers due to unlevelled road and it costs considerably to repair the cars even if the damages are minor,” said a car owner who had to go for the repair of his vehicle.
Commuters Facing Hardship, Financial Woes As Phaphamau Bridge Is Closed | Allahabad News
