No respite to commuters from accidents, kilometres-long traffic jam on Vallah bypass road in Amritsar

Whether its long traffic jams or accidents on the Vallah bypass, there would be no respite for commuters in the near future as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has a long list of excuses for not fixing problems of the service lane, where heavy traffic of the bypass road is diverted due to the ongoing-construction of the flyover.

On Wednesday, a couple on a scooter had a narrow escape when their vehicle skidded in a pool of water accumulated after rain on the service lane.

When Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori asked about the condition of roads in Vallah and Daburji, officials of the NHAI responded that there was no sewer line in Vallah. They said waste water from villages gets accumulated on the road.

Officials said village residents had made their own arrangements for draining waste water into the recharge basins. This led to choking of outlets made for draining rainwater from the road, officials added. Officials said, “Water from the village pond overflows on the service road even if it rains for a short period.”

The construction work of the Vallah flyover remained stalled for several months. Officials said the construction work stopped as residents demanded that the flyover should be constructed on pillars. This delayed completion of the flyover construction for one and a half years, they said. Officials claimed that the main construction work would be completed by March 2025.

Thori instructed officials to ensure the repair of service lanes which were washed away during the rainy season. “The NHAI has invited short term bids to construct service lanes. Temporary repair is being done on broken stretches,” said NHAI officials. They claimed that the construction of the Daburji flyover would be completed by this month end.