Chandigarh, July 29
Once known for its fairly good road network, Punjab today faces one of the biggest tasks in recent years: to make roads in the state fit for driving.

As of today, three types of roads, or the lack of these, exist in the state. The most frequently encountered variety are roads with potholes — varying in size from 6 inches to 4 ft — providing for a back-breaking drive. The second is the type where the road has vanished and motorists have to negotiate craters, taking the vehicle to its extreme limit. The last, and also the least encountered, variety are paved and well-maintained roads.

An extensive survey by a Tribune team in the past three weeks reveals that the road network, in parts, is in a shambles while some portions are very good, making it more of a case of lopsided development. The state has the highest road density in the country and one of the highest vehicle densities.

Some of the worst roads, if one can call these roads, are the Moga-Muktsar road and the Patran — Moonak road leading to Hisar from Patiala. The Barnala-Raikot-Ludhiana road is another bad stretch. In these places a major portion of the road has vanished. Driving a two-wheeler at night can be dangerous. At places the depressions are so huge that the axles of buses and trucks break frequently.

Talking to The Tribune, Mr Surinder Singh of Raikot said: “Travelling between Barnala and Raikot — a distance of 60 km — takes two hours.” The state of the road is shocking. The road is just not there. The same goes for the Moga-Muktsar road.