Barnala stretch a nightmare for commuters

Gurdeep Singh Mann

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, September 26

The widening of the Bathinda-Barnala road has increased chaos which is resulting in fatal road accidents. There are a number of motorists who are getting injured on the under-construction stretch on a daily basis.

The entire stretch of nearly 70 kilometers, starting from Rose Garden Chowk to Barnala, is full of commotion as the construction work is going on the road which creates confusion among the commuters.

“The traffic on the road is not being followed properly in the absence of any demarcation. Commuters are not only suffering from deep potholes and bumpy surface, but are also suffering from the stretch of half kilometer to one kilometer, which remain full of dust blinding,” said Lakhwinder Singh, a software engineer and a daily commuter from Lehra Saunda village of Rampura.

He said there were numerous endless stretches with full of gravels and haphazard construction on the road. “Driving a two-wheeler is the most dangerous thing as the constructed road ends without any warning sign,” he said.

“Suspension of my Maruti Swift lost its grip on the chassis. Earlier, my car’s front bumper and axel got damaged. After getting upset from damages now every day, I take a bus to reachBathinda,”Lakhwinder said.

Five deaths were reported during the past seven months on the under-construction stretch between Bathinda and Rampura. “Two young boys of my village were killed after being hit by a high-speed heavy truck and a bus in March-April this year,” Lakhwinder said.

Gurjant Singh, lambardar of Gill Kalan village, situated on Barnala road, said, “As many as 60 to 70 persons of my village had met with road accidents since last year when the construction work of this road began. Yesterday, fourth death of our village’s resident was reported this year. A bike of Darshan Singh patwari was hit by a high-speed Indica Vista car. He used to drive his car but in view of a holiday on Sunday, he drove a bike towards his agricultural fields.”

PWD B&R XEN Neeraj Bhandari could not be contacted despite repeated attempts. Police officials at the Cantt police station and Sadar Rampura, where the maximum number of road accidents is reported, said the widening of the road is claiming the lives of motorists on an almost daily basis.