Police personnel step in to fill potholes, ease traffic flow at Vallah chowk

Despite the district administration’s failure to press the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to repair the service lanes alongside the stalled flyover project at Vallah, police officers on duty took matters into their own hands today. In an inspiring act of public service, they were seen filling potholes to facilitate traffic movement and ease severe road congestion in the area. The commuters and residents appreciated the dedication of police officers while criticising the government agencies for the poor condition of roads and the prolonged delay in the flyover’s completion. The flyover project has been stalled for several months, and the heavy diversion of traffic into the service lane has worsened the situation.

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The NHAI’s failure to repair the alternative service lane in time has resulted in frequent traffic jams and accidents. Due to the poor road infrastructure, commuters are often forced to take illegal U-turns, further aggravating the congestion and causing accidents. Said Suchet Singh, a local resident, “This afternoon, traffic was moving at a snail’s pace as rainwater had accumulated in the potholes, leading to a massive jam stretching up to Verka Chowk. The cops on duty were assisting commuters, but due to the poor road conditions, they struggled to improve the flow of traffic. Eventually, the officers took a spade from a nearby construction site and started filling the potholes with bricks and debris. Their efforts helped ease the traffic situation slightly.”

It may be mentioned here that a meeting was held on July 24, where the Deputy Commissioner instructed NHAI Project Manager Abdulla and other officials to find a permanent solution to the daily traffic congestion at the Vallah bypass within the next seven days.

The DC pointed out that a significant cause of congestion was vehicles entering the bypass from the wrong direction. The Deputy Commissioner ordered the NHAI authorities to implement strict measures to prevent wrong-side driving, stating that closing illegal entry points is crucial for solving the problem. She also mentioned that MLA Jeevanjot Kaur had previously raised concerns about the illegal movement of vehicles in the wrong direction that worsen traffic congestion in the area. To address this, police officials have been instructed to take strict action against traffic violators.

However, the potholed service lane continued to cause traffic jam but no official assured of repairing it or making any effort to complete the project.