Barricades installed at flyover on NH in Ambala removed

In a partial relief to Ambala residents and commuters on the Delhi-Ambala National Highway (NH-44), the barricades installed at Baldev Nagar flyover, to stop traffic going towards the Shambhu border, have been removed.

However, the Haryana-Punjab interstate border at Shambhu is still lying closed for traffic movement. Strong barricades are in place near the toll-plaza. Between 40,000 to 50,000 vehicles used to cross the Shambhu toll plaza on the NH-44 in a day but it has been lying sealed because of the ongoing tussle between farmers and the government since February.

As per information, due to the closure of Shambhu, barricades were installed at the Baldev Nagar flyover to stop the vehicles and commuters and heavy vehicle drivers started entering the city area to access the alternate routes.

Another layer of barricades installed near the Devi Nagar gurdwara has been shifted. With the removal of barricading, the commuters can go further and take a U-turn near the toll plaza to approach the highway for Chandigarh and Kaithal. Meanwhile, after finding the barricades removed, a number of vehicles started heading towards the toll plaza where they were guided by the on-duty policemen.

The commuters said that the closure of the highway since February has been an ordeal for them and added that the government should resolve the matter.

“The Haryana-Punjab border is lying closed since February due to which the commuters are forced to take alternate routes and it not only causes inconvenience and extra fuel charges, but takes more time to reach destination. The situation gets more difficult during the late hours and foggy conditions,” said Jagmohan Sukhija, a commuter.

Arun Kumar, a local resident, said, “The border has been lying closed for several months now due to which the local traders have suffered heavy losses. The traffic in the city areas have also increased as commuters take alternate routes to reach their destination. The government should get the matter resolved and restore traffic on the national highway.”

Meanwhile, Ambala Superintendent of Police Surinder Singh Bhoria said, “Because of the barricades installed at the Baldev Nagar flyover, heavy vehicles were entering the city area causing traffic congestion. Following requests from the local residents, the barricades have been removed. The commuters can now go further and approach the NH-152 and they don’t need to cross through the city area.”