Pothole-Ridden Sector 79 School Road Raises Bus Safety Concerns

GURUGRAM: Residents have raised concerns over the poor condition of a road near a school in Sector 79, saying that potholes on the stretch create a potential safety risk for buses and other vehicles carrying students. More than 3,000 students reportedly use the road.

The residents are stated to have sought intervention from the Prime Minister’s Office after their attempts to draw attention to the road condition. Their complaint reflects concern about what could happen if a bus loses balance or is forced into an unsafe manoeuvre while avoiding damaged portions of the carriageway.

No school-bus accident has been reported in the information supplied for this story. The concern is preventive and should not be presented as though such an accident has already occurred. The immediate issue is the risk created by a badly broken surface on a route with regular student movement.

Potholes can force large vehicles to brake sharply, move towards the road edge or enter the path of oncoming traffic. Rainwater can conceal their depth and further weaken the surrounding surface. For school buses, a road also needs sufficient width and a stable shoulder so that vehicles can pass safely during arrival and dispersal hours.

Temporary filling may provide short relief, but a lasting repair requires the responsible agency to identify why the surface failed and whether drainage is contributing to repeated damage. Repair work should also be planned around school timings and secured so that children are not exposed to moving machinery or open excavations.

The complaint raises a basic accountability question over which agency owns and maintains the stretch. Residents should receive a clear response identifying the authority responsible, the nature of the repair and how the road will be kept usable during the work.

Until the surface is restored, schools, transport operators and traffic personnel can coordinate slower movement and safe bus entry. The long-term solution, however, is a properly repaired and drained road capable of carrying the daily load of more than 3,000 students without forcing drivers into avoidable hazards.