Hyderabad: In yet another case of negligence by the Nizampet Municipal Corporation (NMC), residents of Pragathi Nagar took to the streets on Sunday to remove sand piles collected on the side of the roads leading to accidents.
Civic activists that reside in the area are taking initiatives themselves to resolve civic issues faced by residents and commuters.
They took up the responsibility after several complaints to authorities to remove the pile of sand collected overtime on the sides of the roads overtime by sweepers. The pile of dust and sand can be proven hazardous to two-wheel riders who may meet with accidents in times of low visibility.
“We have tried to persuade the NMC, filed complaints but no action has been taken. We have been following up the issue for months but have seen no results so far,” said city-based activist and resident of the area, Sai Teja.
The group has so far removed about 50 sandpiles in the last couple of months, on the road leading towards Bachupally, 400 meters away from the NMC office.
The residents of Pragathi Nagar, have seen little development with poorly constructed roads, hazardous pipes, and sand piles lying around in corners, creating a nuisance to the public.
“We have time and time again filed complaints with the authorities over various issues but little or no action has been taken in most cases. Recently, a man lost his life due to a poorly constructed road, filled with potholes, in the area,” said Sai Teja.
Apart from potholes and mud piles, commutes are facing difficulties due to pipes that stand in the middle of a fully constructed road.
“We have been asking the authorities to move and make arrangements for the pipes for the past six months, but no action has been taken in the matter too. People who move around in expensive four-wheel drives do not understand the plight of the common man. These little things may cost lives and are proving to do so,” said Sai Teja.
Since the activists and residents cannot themselves do much about the pipes, they choose to cover them with low visibility, reflective stickers to prevent any casualties to commuters.
“We are hopeful that the Nizampet Municipal corporation will understand our issues, hear our voices and do the needful to ease the life of residents and commuters,” said a hopeful Sai Teja.
Recently, the same group of activists had stepped out of their houses to cover potholes on roads in the area after authorities turned a deaf ear to their complaints.
This group of four software IT employees began this initiative of covering potholes in 2019. They covered the potholes with stones and mud but later started investing in proper materials, out of their own pockets.
