‘MC spent Rs 42 lakh on faulty road markings’

The Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB) has spent Rs 42 lakh in three years and had wrongly put zebra crossing, yellow line and white line markings in the city. The work has been done without taking any suggestions from experts.

As per information procured under the RTI Act by Naujawan Welfare Society president Sonu Maheshwari, the MCB has stated that in 2013-14, it had spent Rs 13.87 lakh on drawing zebra crossing, white lines and yellow line markings in the city. In 2014-15, it had spent Rs 18.43 lakh on the work. While this financial year, from April 1, 2015, till February 6, 2016, it had spent Rs 9.85 lakh on the same.

Maheshwari alleged that the MCB was continuously wasting the government money on zebra crossing, white line and yellow line markings in the city as it had not taken suggestions from any department. Even the MCB also did not have any set norms regarding the drawing of these road markings. He said even the MCB had admitted the same in the RTI.

He said in a survey, conducted by the NGO, it had been found that at many points, zebra crossings had been wrongly marked.

He said a zebra crossing had been drawn from a footpath to a divider outside a government school on Mall Road. The person who wanted to cross the road can reach the divider from the footpath, but could not cross the road as grills had been installed on the divider, blocking the way. While in various areas, zebra crossings have been drawn in the half area of roads.

He said at many places yellow and white line markings had been put up wrongly on roads going to markets and residential areas. Due to which if anyone parks vehicle there, then the whole route going towards a market or a residential area get blocked.