Vijayapura: People are venting anguish on the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for carrying out substandard works between Vijayapura and Solapur national highway-52.
Within a year of inaugurating the nearly 100 km newly developed four-lane national highway between Vijayapura and Solapur has been damaged and filled with potholes. This has irked the regular commuters between the two cities and is cursing the officials of NHAI.
A section of people has also launched an online campaign on social networking sites against the NHAI for carrying out poor-quality work.
Rahul Rathod, a resident of Vijayapura, pointed out, “It has been hardly ten months that this national highway has been thrown open to the public. At least half of the highway between Vijayapura and Solapur has been damaged. With monsoon season is on – it has become difficult for the vehicles to have a smooth ride on NH-52.”
“Meanwhile, the authorities also collect highway tolls but fail to give quality service to the people. The authorities have to fix this in the earliest or an indefinite strike will be launched,” cautioned Rathod.
It may also be noted that the same stretch has made it to the Limca Book of Records for asphalting 25.54-lane-km in eighteen hours between Vijayapura and Solapur NH-52 on February 27, 2021. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari applauded the NHAI officials for achieving this feat.
Now, within a year of inauguration, the NH-52 has turned out to be in a pathetic condition giving a horrible driving experience to the people. This is one of the main and busiest national highways that connect the states of South India and North India. Every day thousands of heavy vehicles pass through this path.
An official from NHAI said that “It has come to over notice that most of the parts between Vijayapura and Solapur NH-52 have been damaged. An effort will be made to fix the potholes and asphalt, where there is necessary, in the earliest.”