Smart City dream fades as Jaipur battles potholes & flooded roads
2
Jaipur: With every spell of monsoon rain, Jaipur's dream of becoming a Smart City seems to slip further into waterlogged streets and gaping potholes. From inner-city colonies to high-end localities like Vatika Road, the situation has reached alarming levels, not just of inconvenience, but of actual danger.
On Friday, after heavy showers, a car sank into a deep, water-filled pothole on Vatika Road. The roads, now reduced to rubble in several parts, are barely navigable. In many areas, residents walk in fear, unsure whether the ground beneath will cave in due to incomplete construction work or erosion.
Manoj Yadav, a resident of Vatika Road, voiced his frustration: "We no longer trust the govt or the officials. How can they call this a Smart City? It's a joke now."
The root of the crisis lies in poor coordination between departments like the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), Jaipur Development Authority (JDA), and the Power Transmission Corporation. PHED began laying water pipelines but failed to finish the work on time. As a result, JDA could not repair or resurface the roads before the rains, leading to sunken patches, open trenches, and dangerous craters.
According to a report, 630 km of roads were dug up before the monsoon, but only 176 km were resurfaced or layered with WMM (Wet Mix Macadam).
In several colonies, roads that were laid just six months ago were dug up again for pipeline work — leaving residents deeply frustrated.
Areas like Kamla Nehru Nagar on Ajmer Road, Saraswati Nagar and Akhil Nagar in Malviya Nagar, and colonies in Dhawas are among the worst affected. Many of these localities are now waterlogged or have dangerously unstable roads. In places like MI Road and New Sanganer Road, the roads have either collapsed or become flooded due to incomplete drainage work.
Residents across the city are now openly questioning the Smart City project. "If departments keep shifting blame and leaving work half-done, who exactly is this city being made smart for?" asked one resident.
As more rain is forecast, the city isn't just battling water, it's battling neglect, inefficiency, and broken promises.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Take home the taste and tree: Mangofest offers seeds & saplings for future
Lucknow: The UP Mango Festival is becoming a destination for mango lovers and a platform for those interested in cultivating mango trees. A key feature of the festival is the sale and display of mango saplings, giving visitors the opportunity to take home plants that could yield future harvests. Horticulture nurseries and local farmers have set up stalls offering saplings of well-known varieties such as Dusseheri, Langra, Chausa, and Safeda (Banganapalli). These saplings are typically grafted to ensure consistency in fruit quality and improved resistance to diseases. Hybrid varieties like Amrapali and Mallika, known for their compact size, regular yield, and good fruit quality, are also available, attracting both commercial growers and home gardeners. "Customers look for authentic varieties. We ensure that we sell certified grafted saplings. The festival is a good platform for reaching new buyers," said Manoj Yadav, a nursery owner from Malihabad. Experts at the event provide guidance on choosing saplings suited to specific soil and climate conditions. They also advise on planting, irrigation, and pruning methods to support healthy tree growth. Information on organic pest control and soil improvement techniques is also available for those interested in sustainable cultivation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Drink 1 Cup Every Morning – See What Happens A Week Later! Health Watcher Undo "There is increasing interest among city residents in growing mango trees at home. We explain the process to them," said Vimlesh Kumar, one of the experts at the festival. These sapling stalls draw interest from both young farmers aiming to expand their orchards and urban gardening enthusiasts. "I purchased Mallika, Amrapali, Langra and Chausa saplings for my farm in Barabanki. These varieties grow well in our region," said Shivendra Singh, a farmer from Barabanki. The festival culminated on Sunday.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Bejai centre to be developed into a smart anganwadi
Mangaluru: Under the area-based development of Smart City project, the Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL) developed 54 schools across eight wards of the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC), said Arun Prabha KS, the general manager (technical) of MSCL. He was speaking after handing over two food safety boxes to Bejai anganwadi centre on Saturday. He said that in the coming days, the Bejai anganwadi centre will also be developed into a smart anganwadi. With the support of chief minister's media advisor KV Prabhakar and DK district working journalists' association, the Bejai anganwadi centre has seen significant development. He added that it will be transformed into a model anganwadi centre by providing additional facilities. The headmistress of Kapikad-Bejai govt higher primary school, Leena Irene Govias, requested cooperation for the development of the school under the smart city project.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Mangaluru smart city project: 54 schools upgraded; Bejai anganwadi to become model centre
MANGALURU: As part of the area-based development under the Smart City project, Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL) has developed 54 schools across eight wards of the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC), said Arun Prabha K.S. , General Manager (Technical) of MSCL. He made the statement while handing over two food safety boxes to the Bejai Anganwadi Centre on Saturday. He added that the Bejai Anganwadi Centre will soon be developed into a Smart Anganwadi. With the support of the Chief Minister's media advisor K.V. Prabhakar and the Dakshina Kannada District Working Journalists' Association, the centre has already seen significant improvement. Arun Prabha said it would be transformed into a model Anganwadi by providing additional facilities. Leena Irene Govias, Headmistress of the Kapikad-Bejai Government Higher Primary School, requested support for the school's development under the Smart City project.
