Potholed roads make travel a nightmare

Even as the damaged part of the bridge on the bypass road near the Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS) stand near Verka Chowk has been repaired within a couple of days after being washed away in heavy rain earlier this week, commuters continue to face trouble at another stretch on the same road near the Vallah Sabzi mandi.

Large potholes have developed near the Vallah mandi on the busy Jalandhar-Amritsar bypass, causing massive traffic snarls during the peak hours.

Motorists complain that they face the worst situation every evening when long queues of vehicles crawl along the broken patch. Trucks and buses get stuck in the damaged portion, slowing down traffic. Local shopkeepers said jams sometimes continue for over an hour.

The recent heavy rainfall has left its damaging effect across the city. Waterlogging and continuous rainfall have badly damaged many roads, from main arteries to smaller internal streets. Deep potholes have appeared on roads in several colonies, making daily travel difficult not just for vehicle owners but also for pedestrians.

Residents say riding through water-filled craters has become dangerous, especially at night when visibility is low.

The bypass, however, remains the worst-affected because of heavy volume of traffic it witnesses every day. NHAI officials admitted that repairs are temporary in nature due to the ongoing monsoon season.