The Tribune impact: NHAI installs rumble strips near Rajpura school

Mohit Khanna

Patiala, July 18

A day after the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) took suo motu cognisance of The Tribune report highlighting the plight of students of Government High School, Kheri Gandhean, in Rajpura tehsil, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) today installed rumble strips on the road near the school.

Confirming the development, NH-64 Project Director Pardeep Atri said a foot overbridge would also be constructed near the school so that students could safely reach the other side of the road. A “school ahead” signboard would also be installed there in a couple of days.

While the villagers and the school authorities claimed to have raised the issue of students’ safety, an NHAI official said they had not received any request for installing signboards, speed-breakers or pedestrian overpass there.

An NHAI official reportedly suggested that instead of setting up a foot overbridge, students could be asked to use the median opening located around 400 m away from the school on the Rajpura side.

People present there, however, did not agree with the proposal. “It will be like a punishment to the students. They will have to walk around 1 km in scorching heat to cross the road,” said Sukhdev Singh of Kheri Gandhean village.