Submerged potholes and an utterly dilapidated drainage infrastructure along National Highway 19 in Chandauli district have turned daily commuting into a dangerous ordeal for residents and travelers. The stretch extending from the Pachphedwa area in Alinagar to the vicinity of the District and Sessions Court complex remains heavily waterlogged following rainfall. Because the accumulated water completely conceals deep road craters, two-wheeler riders are frequently meeting with accidents or suffering narrow escapes. Driven by mounting safety concerns, local residents, lawyers, and commuters have demanded immediate intervention from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to fix the road and drainage system.
Defective Drainage and Submerged Potholes Elevate Accident Risks
Even light rainfall severely deteriorates conditions along NH-19 and its accompanying service lanes. In the Pachphedwa locality of Alinagar, stagnant water along the roadside has severely disrupted the routine movement of traffic and pedestrians. The primary hazard stems from water covering deep potholes, making it virtually impossible for motorists to judge the road surface. Motorcyclists and scooter riders are particularly vulnerable, with many suffering injuries or narrowly avoiding severe crashes daily. Local residents emphasized that waterlogging is a chronic issue in the region, yet responsible authorities have consistently failed to implement a permanent remedy.
Questions Raised Over NHAI Engineering and Infrastructure Design
Highlighting the structural flaws, Dr. Narayan Murti Ojha raised serious concerns regarding NHAI's engineering design and overall drainage planning. He pointed out that rainwater accumulates rapidly across various segments on the UP side, severely inconveniencing lawyers, litigants, and the general public accessing the judicial complex. He explained that roadside drains constructed along the highway are functionally defective in multiple locations. In complete violation of proper engineering standards, these drains block downstream, preventing water from flowing away freely. As a result, runoff overflows onto main thoroughfares, service roads, and nearby commercial markets, disrupting local business operations.
Administrative Neglect Outside District Headquarters and Court Complex
Former President of the Civil Bar Association Chandauli, Vinay Kumar, expressed sharp disappointment over the persistent civic apathy. He highlighted that being the district headquarters, the court corridor witnesses high-density transit involving top government officials, police officers, judges, legal practitioners, and thousands of ordinary citizens every day. Despite its administrative importance, the recurring waterlogging remains unresolved. He revealed that the matter was formally brought to the notice of the District Magistrate and the Superintendent of Police during a recent Tehsil Divas session. Although senior officials assured prompt remedial action, the very next spell of rain exposed the lack of ground-level effort. Consequently, women, senior citizens, daily wage laborers, hospital patients, and advocates continue to struggle through flooded pathways.
Lawyers Threaten Widespread Agitation Over Inaction
Adding to the grievances, another Former President of the Civil Bar Association Chandauli, Rakesh Ratan Tiwari, pointed out that a drain was specifically constructed along the service road outside the court complex to manage runoff. However, ever since its completion, water accumulation has only escalated rather than subsiding. Rainwater remains trapped on the tarmac for prolonged periods. He noted that official delegations have inspected the site multiple times and issued verbal commitments to rectify the defect, yet no permanent corrective work has materialized on the ground.
Legal professionals contend that the drainage network lacks an adequate slope and unobstructed outlets, which directly causes persistent water stagnation. Having endured this negligence for years, the legal community and local residents have now issued a formal ultimatum. The advocates warned that if NHAI and the district administration do not initiate comprehensive repairs and deliver an effective drainage mechanism immediately, they will be forced to launch a public agitation. They urged the administration to treat the restoration of this key district arterial road as an urgent priority to safeguard public life and restore normal commuting.
