Trenches dug up along highway put daily commuters’ lives at risk
Going by deep ditches, dug up for reconstructing drains, it appears that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is not prepared for the foggy days which the region would witness in the severe winter season. The NHAI has to take precautionary measures to prevent mishaps on the highway heading from Sahnewal to Ludhiana
“Last week commuters were caught unawares by the fog in the morning. On service lanes along national highway heading from Sahnewal to Ludhiana, driving is like going towards an unknown destination. As the blanket of fog is going to become denser in the days to come, special arrangements should be made by the NHAI at the very onset of the winter season to warn commuters of dangers ahead on the road,” said PPS Pangli, a resident of Panglian village, and commutes daily from his village to Ludhiana.
“In the absence of proper signboards, barricades and speed breakers, driving is next to impossible on the highway. Moreover, a driver misjudge at any cost,” he said.
“As the NHAI has dug deep trenches for constructing drains along service lanes, a number of major or minor accidents, especially during approaching foggy days, may occur. It is generally observed that lessons are learnt after fatal happenings. The authorities in this case too, seem to be waiting for some major mishap before taking action,” said Gurcharan Singh Bhullar, a resident of Sahnewal.
Dr Gagandeep Kaushal, who travels on the national highway as a matter of routine rued, “The work to widen road has narrowed service lanes. It has cost many lives and hurt many others. It seems that the authorities concerned have failed to learn any lessons from accidents that happened last year due to incomplete arrangements for reflectors and other road safety signals that should have been installed on the highway, especially when the construction work is going on.”
“Many fatal accidents have been averted at the diversion made by the NHAI for four laning near Doraha last year. One is caught almost unawares about diversion. Such road diversions should be clearly marked at the very onset of winter season or for that matter otherwise too so that these may be visible to drivers from quite a distance,” said Barjinder Singh Jandu, a social worker of the area.
“Electronic reflectors are missing from the highway. These reflectors should have the capacity to reflect from a distance so that commuters are prepared accordingly,” he said.
“So horrifying is the scene sometimes that it literally seems to be a hit and trial method. Sacks placed along ditches are in no way sufficient to check any tragedy which may befall upon commuters, especially during foggy mornings. At many spots, diversions have been made by the NHAI without considering fatal risk these pose to countless number of precious lives commuting on the National Highway No. 1 and that too in this hazy weather,” said Jandeep Kaushal.
When contacted, NHAI maintenance in-charge Vijay Kumar said he would visit the spot where ditches had been dug up for laying drains. He said necessary repairs would be carried out at the spot at the earliest.
