Flouting traffic rules: Wrong side driving near Bhandari Bridge a threat to commuters

Amritsar, February 10

Chaos is witnessed on the road under the flyover from Bhandari bridge-railway station through the day as a large number of people can be seen driving on wrong side of the road. While a portion of the road is used by shops selling cycles for displaying their goods, the rest remain busy as vehicles from both sides try to find their way further.

Vehicles coming from the wrong side then try to enter the GT Road by using a U-turn in front of Hotel Grand. Shopkeepers in the area said wrong side driving is rampant on the stretch as even those who come to visit them for shopping prefer to drive on wrong side of the road to get to GT Road instead of making use of the correct route.

“Two-wheeler riders seem it right to drive on the wrong side of the road assuming that their act is not causing any trouble to other commuters. Seeing them doing so, a few four-wheeler owners also try to do the same,” said Satinder Singh, a local resident, adding that people look for traffic cops and if they are not in sight then they do not care if they are on correct side of the road.

Residents’ tendency to break traffic laws is not only the major reason behind the prevailing traffic mess in the city, but also cause many accidents, which later lead to verbal duels on the roads. Even as the local police cannot depute cops at every stretch, those having the tendency to break the law are having a field day.

“By driving on wrong side of the road, one cannot save much money or time. Those driving on wrong side should be dealt with strictly to set an example,” said Jagpreet Singh, another resident.