Vadodara: For the past several years, 62-year-old Pinak Dixit has travelled daily from Waghodiya to the city for work, enduring a gruelling commute. The one-way 30 km journey is plagued by diversions, detours and frequent traffic snarls, with stretches of road remaining dug up for months and posing serious safety risks.“Racecourse Road and Gotri Road are horrible. There is complete chaos in peak traffic hours due to diversions at several places,” said Dixit.Like Dixit, thousands of Barodians are fuming as the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has gone on a spree to dig up roads in different parts of the city. This might provide major relief during monsoon in the long run, but the idea of taking up works simultaneously has led to several major roads being dug up or closed at the same time.After the severe floods that the city witnessed in Aug–Sept 2024, the drainage and stormwater systems suffered extensive damage. The situation was particularly bad in areas that were heavily inundated and had ageing networks. Drainage lines began leaking, settling underground, and large craters started appearing.Initially, the VMC attended to complaints as they surfaced. However, it soon became evident that major works would be required, including replacing drainage lines. “The capital expenditure involved was also very high and funds were not earmarked. It was only in the last financial year that we could begin the process,” said an official.The official pointed out that these works needed to be completed before the next monsoon, which led to several projects being taken up simultaneously. “The time required for some works, like the replacement of the drainage line in the Racecourse area, is quite long. The Racecourse work was scheduled to be completed in eight months and would continue till August, but we are insisting that it be finished before the monsoon,” he added.Gotri Road in the western parts of the city has also been witnessing frequent digging, including work by Gujarat Energy Transmission Company for laying a new cable. A water pipeline project has also contributed to the disruption.The works could have started earlier but were delayed due to the prolonged monsoon last year. The civic body had planned to begin most projects in October but was unable to do so because of unseasonal rains.VMC officials, however, remain confident that the roads will be restored before the monsoon. “This has been one of the key points of discussion in our review meetings, and the works are being closely monitored. Barring a few exceptions, we will ensure that the roads are motorable before the monsoon,” said an official.
