Test drives in colonies cause trouble to residents

Residents of New Amritsar and other localities along the GT Road are worried about frequent car crashes caused by speeding vehicles. The root of the problem lies with the automobile service centres located on GT Road which use residential areas like New Amritsar, GTB Nagar and other colonies for post-service test drives. On Saturday, a head-on collision took place with a speeding SUV hitting a car, resulting in injuries to a person and damage to his car. The residents gathered on the spot demanded that the police take action against the automobile agencies, who conduct the test drives in residential areas.

“These test drives are a menace,” said Lakhbir Singh Chauhan, a resident. “Workers from the service stations drive recklessly, putting our lives at risk. We demand that the authorities issue warning to these agencies to stop speeding in residential areas.”

Residents are worried that the roads in densely populated areas are being used for these purposes.

Jatinder Singh, another resident, echoed Chauhan’s sentiments: “The situation took a serious turn when a test drive vehicle collided with my neighbour’s car, leaving him injured and damaging his car. Action needs to be taken against these automobile agencies. If not, it’s only a matter of time before we see a major accident claiming lives.”

The community is urging authorities to take immediate action to curb the practice of test drives in residential areas. Gursimran Singh, another resident, said, “We just want our neighbourhood to be safe. Is that too much to ask? The police always intervene to help reach a compromise between car drivers whenever an accident takes place, but do not take any steps to stop the practice.”