Civic body raises height of guard stones

Instead of finding a solution to the incessant re-carpeting of roads, Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has started raising the height of the guard stones and divider blocks between the roads which had disappeared under the layers and layers of tar. report in TOI dated May 1, 2013, had highlighted the problem created by layers and layers of tar. It has said that re-carpeting has raised the level of city roads in the walled city and other areas leading to waterlogging in low-lying houses and commercial establishments.Sources said ideally the re-carpeting of the city roads should be done after removing the guard stones and then placing them again as per the height of the road. But, the traffic department of the civic body has found an easy way out. The department has given orders to construct guard stones on the old ones. "The guard stones dividing the road were not serving traffic purpose as they were almost submerged in the layers of tar. Commuters were finding it easy to drive their vehicles on top of the guard stones. However, we are constructing new guard stones on the old ones," executive engineer (traffic department) Jaydeep Chauhan said.Congress councillor of Mughalsarai Bhupendra Solanki told TOI, "Instead of thinking seriously about the increased road levels in the city, the civic authorities are more concerned on increasing the height of the guard stones. This is not going to serve any purpose, because the problems stays."