Potholed road flooded by sewer water near Old Sabzi Mandi irks commuters

Manmeet Singh Gill

Amritsar, September 3

The slip road connecting the GT road with Hall Bazaar near Old Sabzi Mandi has become a nightmare for the commuters due to its deadly potholes filled with sewer water for the past nearly two months thanks to the apathy of the municipal corporation (MC).

Though shopkeepers have placed large stones and fixed sticks tied with clothes to warn commuters about potholes, vehicles, especially three-wheelers often get stuck on the slip road.

The helpless commuters unaware of deep potholes themselves find new passages. Some try to bypass the stretch by driving over garbage heaps in the Old Sabzi Mandi to reach their destinations. Others prefer footpath to cross over the inundated stretch.

Mostly inconvenience is faced by those commuters who do not visit the area frequently or are unaware about the condition of the road.

“It is a deadly stretch for those people who are not from the city and travel on the road for the first time as they are unaware of its condition,” said Rajesh, a nearby fruit seller. He said that vehicles often got stuck in deep potholes on the road and had to be towed.

While the local municipal corporation is indifferent towards the condition of the road, the residents say officials can at least fix a few warning signs for the information of the commuters.

“The MC can at least put up warning boards for commuters if it’s difficult to find sewer manhole that is flooding the road,” said Joginder Singh, a resident. “Two-wheeler riders often meet with serious accidents on the inundated road as they are not able to gauge deep potholes,” he said.