Encroachments lead to traffic snarls

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 19

The stretch from Gurdwara Pipli Sahib to Nawa Kot connects numerous roads, but frequent traffic bottlenecks discourage commuters from using this route.

Reason: Vendors have encroached upon this particular stretch. Not just vendors, but unregulated parking and railway crossing often leads to traffic jams, which proves out to be a nightmare for locals.

Makeshift kiosks selling vegetables and fruit, besides shopkeepers have encroached upon a major portion of the stretch.

Harjit Singh, a resident of Kabir Park said, “We pay obeisance at Gurdwara Baba Deep Singh Shaheed every weekend. The stretch from Gurdwara Pipli Sahib via Railway colony B-block offers shorter route. However, due to rampant encroachment and railway crossing, we avoid using this stretch.”

Harpreet Singh, a shopkeeper, said as the footfall of devotees was high at gurdwara, it attracts a lot of vendors. Sudesh Kumar, a resident of Puttalighar area, said apart from encroachments by shopkeepers and vendors, railway crossing also leads to traffic snarls.

As the railway crossing is on Amritsar to Attari track, which connects Lahore in Pakistan, a limited number of trains use this track.

The road assumes significance as it connects Nawa Kot leading to Gate Khazana and further the entire walled city. It also provides a link from Railway colony B-block to Gobindgarh fort.