Bumpy roads around rail crossings irk residents

Manmeet Singh Gill

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 30

The road on both sides of many railway crossings in the city offers a bumpy ride to commuters. As the road adjacent to a railway crossing, around 10 meters on each side, is the responsibility of the Railways, these are left untouched even when the remaining area of the road is re-carpeted by PWD or other agencies.

Residents complain that the Railways seldom repair road stretches under its responsibility and even the Municipal Corporation leaves it untouched, making such stretches accident prone, especially for two-wheeler drivers.

The examples of such railway crossings included 22-number fatak, the crossing at Kot Mit Singh on Amritsar-Tarn Taran Road and Verka Railway crossing.

Dr Ranbir Singh Pannu, a local resident, said “The Railways do not seem to have time for these small works. With Suresh Prabhu as Railways Minister, our hopes were raised but we have been left disappointed.”

Thousands of vehicles pass through the railway crossings in the city daily and the indifference of the authorities is costing vehicle owners dearly as these potholes damage vehicles too, he stated.

In these times, when the Central Government is talking of revolutionary changes and inclusion of bullet trains, these small neglected works should also be made a priority, some residents said.

“It has become a norm that even if the entire road is well paved you will find potholes near the railway crossing. The government should make amends so that the entire stretch is paved at the same time and later, if it likes, it can recover the cost from the Railways,” said Sukhpal Singh, another resident.