Wrong-side driving a norm on Lakkar Bridge

As the city’s busy railway under bridge (RUB) has been closed due to the ongoing project for widening of railway tracks, commuters have been taking the wrong side of Lakkar Bridge, putting their lives at risk. Despite clear violation of rules, no traffic cop has been deployed on either side of the bridge to prevent violation of traffic rules.

Notably, the underpass will remain closed for 90 days due to ongoing work on the bridge, which is part of the ambitious doubling project connecting the Ludhiana railway station to Mullanpur. Significant progress has been made in recent months, with the doubling work already completed in at least eight key crossing points within the city.

It is pertinent to mention here that after the closure of Damoria bridge, traffic load has increased on Lakkar Bridge, a stretch between Pavilion chowk-Mata Rani chowk and between Railway road to Pavilion chowk but because of the wrong side commuting, mainly on the stretch between Pavilion chowk to Mata Rani chowk, the rush of vehicles has increased manifold on the bridge, posing a potential risk of mishap.

On Friday, the Tribune team while doing a reality check of the situation, found that vehicles, mostly two- wheelers and three-wheelers, were going on the wrong side of the bridge. Vehicles take to this bridge from Mata Rani chowk and get down at Pavillion chowk traffic lights, but the right way to reach Pavillion chowk is to take the Lakkar Bridge from Railway road side only. Due to this violation, commuters endanger their lives as the chances of collision between the vehicles have increased because vehicles coming on the right side of the bridge are usually being driven at high speed in the belief that no vehicle will come from the opposite side.

Interestingly, when a two-wheeler rider was asked why he was driving on the wrong side, the person in question said, “Since he has to reach Pavillion chowk on time, he did not take a long diversion from the Railway road side, where one has to crawl in traffic jam which might take more than 10 minutes. Hence, I decided to go on the wrong side which only takes two minutes to reach Pavillion chowk.”

Another motorcyclist said he drives daily on the wrong side to Pavilion chowk as it is more convenient and takes less time. The biker said he knows driving on the wrong side poses a risk of mishap, so he drives carefully.