Rostov Residents Say Snow Removal Is Just for Show

During this winter, snow has fallen several times in Rostov-on-Don, but the quality of street cleaning has not satisfied many residents. The publication 161.RU collected readers« opinions on the work of municipal services.

Here«s what local residents say:

• »Are they cleaning? The equipment just stands there, and snow is compacted by cars on the roads. But when the snow started to melt a bit, they went out to clean. The equipment goes out into the snow purely to take photos for the report.«
• »These miserable 10 centimeters over the whole winter — «a lot»? 2014 had a lot, and the late 80s had snow. If a lot of snow falls in Rostov, the city will collapse.«
• »They sprinkle poisonous reagents everywhere, which civilized cities and countries have long abandoned. And the plea not to drive on roads during snowfall is still only heeded by municipal workers.«
• »The city is always cleared only for cars, and pedestrians are left to fend for themselves, according to the logic of the municipal workers. There are isolated cases where sidewalks are cleaned, but more often it«s better not to touch them at all, because they immediately get covered with an icy crust.»
• «Vyatskaya Street: I haven»t seen a street cleaner once all winter.«
• »And are they cleaned? On Lenina Street, they sprinkle salt or something, and that«s it.»

One of the respondents, who works remotely, on the contrary, reported that he is satisfied with the cleaning, as he does not use the roads.

The last heavy snowfall in Rostov occurred on January 15, when the fallen snow caused serious traffic jams. Municipal services worked on clearing at night, and by the morning of the next day, the situation on the roads had improved, according to residents.