Little action to check theft of BRTS grills

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 26

Even as the local administration has finally woken up to the theft of iron grills along the BRTS corridor, a visit of the city roads showed that much damage has already been done as a large number of grills have been stolen.

In what could be called the first concrete action against thieves, the Chehharta police have booked two persons for stealing grills. The grills were installed to demarcate the BRTS corridor from the main roads and to demarcate main roads from the slip roads.

The grills further serve the purpose of restricting unauthorised entry of people, vehicles and animals on the roads.

Most of the grills have been stolen near Putlighar Chowk, Ganga building and from Chehharta to Khandwala stretch. The police believe that most of the grills have been stolen by drug addicts, who sell the iron in scrap market to get money for drugs. Even as the police have sprung into action following a complaint from the Municipal Corporation, at many places shopkeepers have removed grills to facilitate customers.

The absence of grills is also posing problems to drivers of BRTS buses as commuters on foot sometimes make an entry into the corridor abruptly, which forces bus drivers to apply brakes, finally leading to unnecessary halts and affecting the frequency of buses.

Residents said the theft of grills must be stopped and the MC should install new ones at places from where these have already been stolen.

Municipal Commissioner Harbir Singh said they had asked the police to check the instances of theft and take action against people guilty of destroying public property.