Railings missing from bridges, lives at risk

LUDHIANA: Though around one and half years have passed since the bridges on the LudhianaFerozepur highway became operational railings on these bridges are still missing at several places

Updated At : 07:13 AM Mar 06, 2018 IST

Missing railings on a bridge on the Ludhiana-Ferozepur highway in Ludhiana. Tribune photo

Jaswant Shetra

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 5

Though around one and half years have passed since the bridges on the Ludhiana-Ferozepur highway became operational, railings on these bridges are still missing at several places. The absence of railings on both sides of bridges has been posing a serious threat to the lives of the commuters.

Everyday, thousands of people travel through the bridges constructed on the Ludhiana-Ferozepur national highway. But the company which was awarded the contract for the construction of the bridges has apparently forgotten to install railings at several places. At some other places, where the construction company had installed railing, they have gone missing.

Taking note of this, an NRI has shown willingness to get railings installed. Kuldeep Singh Johal, resident of Mandiani village near Mullanpur Dakha, has offered to spend money from his own pocket for getting the railings installed on the bridges.

Through a letter written to the Regional Office of the National Highway Authority of India, Johal has sought permission from the government to allow him to install railings on the bridges. “How the bridges have been made operational when the construction company has not completed the required safety measures? By doing so, the company has compromised with the safety of common people,” said Kuldeep Singh Johal.

The commuters and the residents of villages surrounding the highway have demanded from the construction company to complete the installation of railings on the bridges and other safety measures to avoid any untoward incident. “The commuters, especially those riding two-wheelers, are always at risk due to the missing railings. The situation turns more risky during the foggy season and during the night hours when it becomes almost impossible to spot the sides of the bridges due to darkness,” lamented Viney Kakkar who commutes regularly on the highway.

Project Officer at the Project Implementation Unit of the National Highway Authority of India, BS Chauhan, said railings were installed on all bridges before making them operational. “I will look into the matter and if the railings are found missing from any place, I will get them installed at the earliest,” said Chauhan.