Residents Blast CSE and SLRA as Flooded Gutters Turn Hill Side Bye Pass Road into Death Trap
By VOS Investigation Desk
For the past two weeks, the main gutters along Easton Street on the Hill Side Bye-Pass Road, constructed by CSE, have remained flooded after becoming heavily clogged with garbage, causing water to overflow and inundate surrounding drainage channels.
The persistent flooding has created severe challenges for residents and school-going children who rely on the route daily. Large sections of the road have been submerged in dirty water and debris, making movement not only difficult but also dangerous for pedestrians and motorists.
Frustrated community stakeholders have accused both CSE and the Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA) of ignoring repeated warnings about the drainage system’s inadequacy. According to residents, before construction commenced, they advised the contractors to construct a wider and more effective drainage network capable of handling the large volume of water that flows through the area during the rainy season.
They stated that construction workers informed them at the time that they were merely implementing the design specifications approved by the SLRA. Residents further recalled that during the construction phase, CSE frequently deployed heavy machinery to clear the narrow drainage channels whenever blockages occurred, an indication that concerns about the drainage system had already surfaced long before the current crisis.
“What is happening today is exactly what we warned them about,” one community stakeholder lamented. “The drainage system was too small from the beginning, and now residents are paying the price.”
Community members expressed disappointment that despite the worsening situation, neither CSE nor the relevant authorities have taken visible action to clear the blocked gutters or provide a lasting solution to the flooding problem.
As stagnant water continues to accumulate, residents fear the situation could trigger serious public health concerns, damage nearby properties, and expose commuters, particularly school children, to unnecessary risks. They are calling on CSE, SLRA, and other responsible authorities to urgently intervene before the rainy season intensifies and the situation spirals into a full-blown disaster.
Residents warned that continued neglect of the drainage problem could further cripple movement within the community and raise serious questions about the quality, planning, and long-term sustainability of infrastructure projects implemented in the area.
