Simultaneous road repair work inconveniences patients

  • | Saturday | 8th September, 2018

“We will tell PWD officials to finish work on Vivekanand Hospital Road to helps patients and other public.” “I suggested that he meet me at either Vivekananda Hospital or Suchirayu. “However, it’s wrong to take up work on both roads at the same time,” he said. “Those working on repairing the road cannot say when they will be opened again. Although TB Road was repaired only two months ago and was in good condition, it was dug up.Dr Abhay Matkar, vice-president, Indian Medical Association, Hubballi Chapter, told TOI that the closure of both roads has drastically affected patients.

HUBBALLI: There are more than 50 hospital, clinics, diagnostic centres and other healthcare centres besides other commercial establishments including banks, showrooms and lodges located on Tourist Bungalow (TB) Road and Vivekananda Hospital Road , but the 50-metre stretch is now inaccessible to vehicles.As a result ambulances and vehicles carrying patients cannot reach these healthcare centres.Thanks to poor planning by the HDMC and PWD, reconstruction work is being carried out on both roads simultaneously. Although TB Road was repaired only two months ago and was in good condition, it was dug up.Dr Abhay Matkar, vice-president, Indian Medical Association, Hubballi Chapter, told TOI that the closure of both roads has drastically affected patients. “Because of this poorly planned repair work, only those patients who can walk can get to hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres.”Matkar said it is “hellish” when there is an emergency and he and other doctors prefer to meet patients at other clinics in the city.“One of my patients who cannot walk called me to fix an appointment,” Matkar said. “I suggested that he meet me at either Vivekananda Hospital or Suchirayu. Officials at HDMC should have used common sense. They should have repaired one road first and then the other.”Anil Balannavar, a pharmaceutical distributor, said the stretches have hospitals that treat cancer, eye diseases, obstetrics and other specialized fields.“HDMC did not bother to inform people working here nor did it display boards that work would be taken up,” Balannavar said. “Those working on repairing the road cannot say when they will be opened again. Even vehicles carrying medical equipment cannot get to their destinations.”Dr Ravi Kalghatgi, director, NMR Scan Centre, said: “We have to take a long detour or walk to attend patients.” A traffic policeman deployed at Court Circle admitted that work on both roads has badly inconvenienced people.C W Shakeel Ahmed, HDMC commissioner, was unavailable for comment despite TOI calling and messaging him many times.Mayor Sudheer Saraf said repair work was taken up under central road funds. “However, it’s wrong to take up work on both roads at the same time,” he said. “We will tell PWD officials to finish work on Vivekanand Hospital Road to helps patients and other public.”

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