Huge toll collection, but no let-up in accidents on six-lane NH-44 stretch
Parveen Arora
Karnal, May 14
A sum of Rs 4,868.65 crore has been collected from commuters at the toll plazas of Bastara, Sambhu and Ladowal on the Panipat-Jalandhar section of the six-lane NH-44 since the operation of toll, but there has been no respite from accidents. The number is still high on this stretch.
As many as 12,182 accidents have taken place on this stretch from 2014-15 to 2021-22, leading to the death of 983 people and causing injuries to 12,076 people. Of these accidents, 6,039 have taken place on the stretch in Haryana — from Panipat to Ambala — which led to the death of 520 people and caused injuries to 6,213 people.
Poor maintenance
Illegal entry points from service lane to main carriage, broken and poor drainage system and the lack of safety railing at different places pose a serious threat to the lives of commuters. RTI applicant
Safety Concern
We are concerned about the safety of road users. Accident-prone points have been identified and are being rectified as per the directions of the state government. Maintenance work is a regular process. NHAI official
The remaining accidents have taken place on the stretch in Punjab, from the border of Ambala to Jalandhar, resulting in the death of 463 people and injuring 5,863 people.
This was revealed in a reply to an RTI query sought by a local resident, Divya Sharma, regarding the collection of toll, number of accidents and the expenditure incurred on maintenance.
The data provided by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) stated that the Gharaunda toll situated at Bastara village had collected Rs 1,915.50 crore from 2014 to March 2023, while the Sambhu toll, also known as the Ghagar toll plaza, had collected Rs 1,112.68 crore from May 2009 to March 2023. The Ladowal toll plaza had collected Rs 1,840.47 crore from May 2009 to March 2023.
Earlier, the toll plaza at Bastara was located at Nilokheri, from May 11, 2009, to November 30, 2014. The amount collected as toll at Nilokheri was not specified in the reply, said the applicant.
The NHAI took over the toll collection from a private company on March 5, 2021, and had spent Rs 442.91 crore on the maintenance of NH-44, as per the RTI reply.
Divya Sharma accused the NHAI of not taking care of the stretch even after collecting such huge amounts as toll. She said the condition of the Panipat-Jalandhar highway was poor as a lot of work still needed to be done.
“Illegal entry points from service lane to main carriage, broken and poor drainage system and the lack of safety railing at different places pose a serious threat to the lives of commuters. I request the NHAI authorities to ensure the safety of commuters by making the stretch smooth,” she said.
The authorities, however, claim that they maintain the road to ensure the safety of the commuters. “We are concerned about the safety of road users and accident-prone points have been identified and are being rectified as per the directions of the state government. Maintenance work is a regular process and work is being done accordingly,” an NHAI official stated.
