Unlit railway underbridge harries motorists at Jind mini-bypass

Deepender Deswal

Jind, April 22

The underbridge at the mini bypass on Jind-Rohtak road in Jind has no lights resulting in complete darkness in the area underneath.

MC, PWD pass the buck

}When the MC authorities were asked to get the lights repaired, they said the lights in the area belong to the PWD. When the department was approached with the same demand, the officials, too, refused to own responsibility stating that it was the duty of the MC. No one is ready to get the lights repaired. — Raj Kumar Goyal, President, Jind Vikas Sangathan

Though lights had been installed when the underbridge was constructed, these later developed defects and a few unscrupulous elements even damaged the system laid out for the lights. As a result, the entire stretch of the underpass remains plunged in darkness, especially at night.

In the absence of streetlights, the stretch has become a hideout for notorious elements and some incidents of harassment of passers-by at the hands of miscreants have been reported.

President of Jind Vikas Sangathan Raj Kumar Goyal said the stretch had become a hub for drug addicts and people now avoid taking the route.

Goyal said: “ I had urged the municipal council (MC) and Public Works Department (PWD) to get the electricity supply resumed and for the installation of streetlights there. But the officials of both departments refused to take responsibility and are shifting blame on each other.”

Goyal alleged that it was shocking that two government agencies, including the MC and the PWD, were unable to install streetlights at the underbridge. “When the MC authorities were asked to get the lights repaired, they said the lights in the area belong to the PWD. When the department was approached with the same demand, the officials, too, refused to own responsibility, stating that it was the duty of the MC. No one is ready to get the lights repaired,” he alleged.

Goyal, however, has sought the intervention of Jind Deputy Commissioner in this regard. “I request Jind DC Mohammad Imran Raza to ensure proper arrangement of lights at the underbridge on Rohtak road mini-bypass so that commuters do not face difficulties in using the route at night,” he said.