Latest update December 8th, 2024 4:55 AM
Jun 04, 2011 News
The joy and anticipation of residents of Section B Christianburg turned to dismay after several roadways which were long overdue for rehabilitation were recently completed and almost simultaneously began to deteriorate.
All of the alleyways, except Stewart Path, are now reportedly completed. But they are being eroded by the recent intermittent rainfall.
This was mainly due to the substandard wok that was done, residents contend.
Concerned residents said that the way the alleyways were done, is a huge waste of taxpayers money. No drains were erected to ensure easy water “runoff”.
“Without proper drains these alleyways won’t last, as all the water washing down from the hills will undermine the weak infrastructure. You come back here anytime around July or August and you would have to ask where the tar and bitumen gone, because everything gon either wash away or get covered up.”
One particularly vocal resident of Alstrom Alley, showed media operatives a small culvert that was removed by workers and not replaced.
According to the man, the culvert facilitated water flow across the alleyway and guarded against erosion.
A new wooden bridge was built across the divide, but the absence of the culvert resulted in the washing away of huge portions of soil.
A few residents said that they spoke with the people engaged in rehabilitating the Alleys, and enquired why a proper drainage system was not put in place before the rehabilitative works on the alleys commenced. They were reportedly told that no money had been allocated for drainage works.
There was also evidence of erosion at Gardenia Street, which was also rehabilitated recently.
According to perturbed residents, that street was only completed two weeks ago, and has already begun to deteriorate.
The residents showed where the shoulders of the road instead of sloping down towards the drains, were actually higher than the road. Even the drains were higher than the road. The result is that the water instead of running off quickly accumulates in depressions of the road surface.
This situation is further exacerbated by a broken main, which was covered over with loam by the contractor. Apart from adding to the early deterioration of the road, residents contended that this situation will pose a health hazard, as the water which goes to their homes would be contaminated.
Meanwhile, Gardenia Street where it intersects with Water Lily Road (Poker Street) has already begun to deteriorate, as the drains, instead of connecting with the culvert , stops about two feet short. .
The result is that the loose soil on the shoulders of the road, which was not properly compacted, gets washed away by the torrents of water that flows down from the Blueberry Hill.
Residents are very concerned about this and want the relevant authorities to look into this matter before this street deteriorates to its former state.
Gardenia Street was recently featured in this newspaper after residents had complained bitterly about what they considered to be the substandard work that was being carried out on the drains.
They were also perturbed about the length of time it took three contractors to complete the drains. Residents had reported that the infrastructural works were to be completed within three weeks.
Instead, it took six months to complete both drains and the street, but yet the work executed was not done to their resident’s satisfaction.
Residents of Matthew’s Lane meanwhile are thoroughly dissatisfied that this main thoroughfare was overlooked for rehabilitation. Matthew’s Lane is the main road that connects to all the Alleys in the Christiansburg area; and this road is often used as a detour in times of emergencies.
Residents said that in over twenty five years this road has never been rehabilitated.
Interim Management Committee Chairman, Orrin Gordon, in an invited comment, said that while any sort of developmental works in Linden is welcome too often these works are executed without the relevant documentation being forwarded to the council.
The end result is that a lot of substandard infrastructural works are being done, as there is no proper supervision of these projects by the relevant stakeholders.
Many of the projects subsequently deteriorate soon after completion. Gordon said that at present Council finds itself between a rock and a hard place.
“We want the development, but it comes in a partisan fashion and while we don’t have a problem, we know that the money is coming from the state and we want value for money.”
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