Bhopal, June 30 -- Bhopal's gleaming arterial roads are often held up as symbols of urban progress. But venture off the main routes, and a different story unfolds - one of civic neglect, daily frustration, and mounting discontent in the city's residential colonies.
Over the past decade, major corridors like the Bhopal Bypass, Hoshangabad Road, VIP Road, and Kolar Road have been widened and upgraded into four- and six-lane highways. Maintained primarily by the Public Works Department (PWD), these roads carry the bulk of the city's traffic and receive routine maintenance.
In contrast, the roads leading into neighbourhoods and service lanes - particularly in areas like Bagsewaniya, Danish Square, Chhola, and along the 80 Feet Road corridor -...