A mound of soil at Pipeline Road makes commuting a challenge on Monday. Picture by Bhola Prasad

The commercial hub of Sakchi may soon boast 16 new eyes, but lack of foresight has, as of now, made life hell for commuters.

A private firm, entrusted with the job of installing closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, has scooped out portions of arteries to raise pillars. These gaping holes, left unattended for five days now, are mishap magnets for both vehicles and pedestrians.

The worst-affected stretches are on Sakchi Highway, Straight Mile Road and Pipeline Road near Old Court — all of which witness heavy traffic throughout the day.

Straight Mile Road passes through Sakchi market and more than 1.5 lakh vehicles ply on this vital link daily, while the Sakchi Highway has popular eateries and commercial establishments. It also links Sakchi with Mango.

Pipeline Road, on the other hand, assumes significance because it is the only link to government establishments like the SDO Dhalbhum Court, sales tax office and Old Court.

Kuldeep Singh (38), who works with an event management firm in Sakchi, shared his harrowing experience.

“It is difficult to take a turn at the roundabout on Straight Mile Road. I almost skidded with my bike on a mound of soil lying there. Fortunately, I escaped unscathed. Others may not get as lucky. The authorities looking after this project should at least cordon off the site and put a signboard or maybe, a red light to warn commuters,” said Singh.

In their bid to arrest the sprinting crime graph, police have awarded the CCTV camera contract to private firm Oasis Adcom.

Owner Satyanarayan Agarwal said: “The digital cameras are being installed for the safety of residents. We have asked our men to finish installation as early as possible, but work is being carried out at 16 locations and it will take at least a fortnight to complete the project. The 25ft pillars will require a strong base and that is why we have dug deep.”

He, however, admitted that either red flags or lights were mandatory at the sites.

The police brass, on its part, promised to take steps to alleviate commuter woes. “We will ask the agency to complete installation at the earliest,” said city SP Karthik S.