Dharwad dust crisis: Commuters suffer from unmaintained roads, health risks

Bad roads have turned commuting in Dharwad into a dusty nightmare.

Dharwad: While the national capital is choking due to air pollution, residents of Dharwad are facing a serious threat from dust.
Residents of Dharwad city are at high risk of skin allergies and shortness of breath due to the dust menace plaguing the city. Road works have violated a number of deadlines and continue to create health problems for citizens.
Heavy rains this season have damaged most of the city’s roads. Potholes have formed, and dust settles in them due to the dry weather. When a heavy vehicle passes on the road, clouds of dust rise, resulting in very poor visibility.
The roads that were planned to be converted into CC Roads remained half completed due to lack of funds. Section from Uday Hostel Circle to Railway Station, from Basel Mission School to Hindi Prachar Sabha, from DC Office to Hindi Prachar Sabha Circle, from Old DSP Circle to Ice Gate, from Naregala Petrol Pump to Municipal Circle, from KCD Circle to Saptapur Bhavi, from Dasanakoppa circle to Saptapur. Kannada School, Malmaddi Internal Roads, Saptapur 1st and 2nd Junction, Banashankari Nagar and Toll section. Nakas to Tejesvinagar Bridge are waiting for the repair work to begin.
Residents on both sides of the road are forced to keep their doors and windows closed during the day to avoid dust allergies and breathing problems.
They scolded the officials for not asphalting the road. Pensioners and children complain of coughing and breathing problems and have literally stopped leaving the house for fear of worsening health problems.
No official or elected representative visited residents to resolve the problem, local residents complained.
The eateries located here find it difficult to run their business as dust accumulates on the food and people have stopped coming to these eateries.
Residents of Malmaddi said that when the HDMC was asked to fill the potholes, officials told them that no repair work would be carried out as the roads were meant to be converted into cement concrete roads.
It’s time for elected officials and officials to pay attention to dilapidated roads, hold contractors accountable for road maintenance and protect people from dust allergies, residents demanded.