Crash barriers along canal sought

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, April 23

After two mishaps reported in the BSL (Bhakra Sutlej link) canal near Balh in Mandi, residents of the district are demanding that the BBMB to fence the area along the road on the 12-km stretch of canal between Baggi and Sundernagar to avoid recurring mishaps in the area.

One car skidded into the canal at Hartagarh near Balh in Mandi on April 14. Five persons were on board. Four of them are still to be traced, while one had a narrow escape.

On Wednesday evening another vehicle fell into the canal at Baggi. Five persons were on board. They were later rescued by locals. They were on the way from Chailchowk to Mandi to attend a marriage party.

People allege that due to lack of crash barriers alongside the BSL canal, vehicles plying on the road sometimes fall into the canal if driver was a bit negligent. This was posing a big threat to human life.

They said that many such incidents were reported in past and if BBMB authorities install crash barriers, it would greatly help curb such mishaps in near future.

Neeraj Sharma, a resident of Baggi, said, “We are demanding from BBMB authority to fix crash barriers alongside road near BSL canal for the safety concern of people travelling in the area. The road alongside the canal was not wide enough and small mistake could prove fatal for passengers.”

Another resident of area Mahender Singh said that the authority was paying no heed to the problem.

People rue that the apathy of authorities concerned may prove disastrous for people travelling in the area.

Superintendent Engineer of BBMB RD Sawa said the points had already been fenced and the authorities were mulling fencing the entire area. A proposal will be sent to higher authority for consideration.

Additional District Magistrate, Mandi, Vivek Chandel said the district administration had asked the BBMB authority to fence the entire stretch with crash barriers in public interest to avoid such mishaps in near future.