By Arret Jatta
The heavy downpour on Saturday, August 2, almost brought the new OIC feeder roads to a standstill, with waterlogging and flooding causing chaos for drivers.
The OIC feeder roads, a project that focused on constructing new roads and upgrading existing ones within the Greater Banjul Area, includes 50 kilometers of 20 new feeder roads and a modern dual carriageway from the Airport Junction in Yundum to Sting Corner ( Bertil Harding Highway).
Alkali Barrow, a driver who regularly uses the feeder roads narrated his ordeal:
“On that evening, I was hired from Bundung to Kerr Sering, but there was so much water on these roads that I got one of my tires damaged. Since these roads are new, I wonder why there was so much flood”.
He attributed the flooding to poor drainage system, noting that the stagnant waters showed a lack of proper drainage.
“The road authorities should dig under the footpath beside the roads so that the water will pass through it. They must also build a proper drainage system,” he suggested.
Musa Dampha, another taxi driver shared similar experience: “I’ve been driving on this road for a while now, and every time it rains, it’s like a nightmare. The road just floods and doesn’t drain properly. I think the road was built in a rush, and that’s why we’re experiencing these issues”.
Omar Jallow a commercial driver commented: “The authorities need to do something about the drainage system. We the drivers were excited about the new roads because we thought it was going to make our lives easier but looking at the way it is, always packed with water every time it rains, I wonder what kind of work was done on the roads. It’s not just about the roads; it’s about the safety of the drivers and passengers, because the traffic gets really congested when it rains with everyone in a hurry to get home,” he added.
NRA
Meanwhile the National Road Authority NRA’s recent road inspection tour, the acting managing director of NRA Sulayman Sumareh Janneh, said they are fully aware of the hardship caused by these floodwaters and they are in collaboration with relevant stakeholders to immediately intervene in the most affected zones while working on long-term drainage systems and other road improvement measures.
