Where are the gutters?

Gutter: A channel at the edge of a street or road for carrying off surface water.

Ever wondered why even the slightest rains result in water-logging and traffic snarls in Mumbai. The standard argument that we hear is regarding the tides ("there is a high tide, so the sewage system does not pump out effectively into the sea").

I have a different opinion: Next time there is a water-logging, take a look at either side to see if the gutters are overflowing. Chances are they are not; even more chances are that there are no gutters at all.

Reasons for water-logging:

1. The water from the road does not move into the gutter (maybe the road is not built to specifications to slope into the gutter, but more likely that there is no clear way for the water to enter the gutter).
2. The drain is filled with all sorts of solid waste (another reason why hawkers should go).
3. And, finally, drains cease to exist on the road.

After having observed a few roads during the monsoon, I found that certain roads were prone to water logging simply because they did not have a gutter at all. Consider the road outside "Kobe Sizzlers" near Saki Naka. When the building came up, they built pretty plant holders (maybe to keep hawkers at bay), but in the process, "forgot" to build the gutter. Result: there is no gutter on the Andher Kurla road outside "Kobe Sizzlers". Naturally, the water will not go anywhere, but remain on the road.

Now, consider some roads where the gutters not only exist, but are also about 4 to 5 feet deep. Not once have I observed water being logged (this is despite the fact that the area is low-lying due to the slopy nature of these areas).

Other causes of obstruction for the water to enter the gutter include our "friends" - the dumpers that illegally dispose off the debris of construction sites in or near the gutters.

It would seem that if a common man is able to observer these things, it must definitely be visible to the people whose job it is to ensure the cleaniness and upkeep of the roads. But, then who said that "common sense" is common (especially these days)?