Citizens’ Nightmare-VIII
Driving on an accident-prone road
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 18 — It seems even the residents of a so-called VIP colony located in a southern sector cannot move the Chandigarh Administration or the Municipal Corporation to seek better facilities for themselves or for others living in the sector.

This seems to be true when the roundabout at Sectors 39, 40, 38 and 38 (west) is taken into account. The road not only leads to the houses of Punjab Ministers and senior officials living in an enclave in Sector 39, it also joins the road leading to Ludhiana and beyond. Just a stone’s throw away are the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) HIG flats. Further ahead is the new CHB colony where almost 500 people have spent up to Rs 13 lakh each to own a flat located in Sector 38 (west).

This roundabout is under expansion for the last 10 months. Work is carried out in phases, or rather in slow motion, leaving the road even more dangerous and prone to accidents. The risk is aggravated when cars of ministers pass by with red lights beefing on top.

If the slip roads have been dug up, there is no tar. Mounds of earth have been put in place where the extended roundabout will be constructed The growth of wild grass on top of these mounds indicates the lack of concern for time.

Street lighting in the area is poor, or almost non-existent. At night motorists have to be extra careful while driving. They have to navigate through mounds of earth, an apology of a roundabout, plus the rough and tumble of bad road, conditions that are typical of a nightmare prevailing in the southern sectors.

Adding to the problem are a row of kutcha shops that lead to traffic congestion. Almost three years ago the Chandigarh Traffic Police, in a report suggested that the entire stretch of road from Sectors 38 and 39 be converted into a dual carriageway till the place where the road leads into the air base at the other end, almost 8-10 km away.

The space to double the road is there but the will seems to be missing. No work has ever begun on it. Doubling the entire stretch of road can save several lives, besides preventing minor accidents.