Road caves in near MC official’s office

Manmeet Singh Gill 

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 24

The entire stretch of Mall Road from Novelty Chowk to Sant Singh Sukha Singh Chowk has been closed to keep commuters at bay after yesterday’s cave-in near the office of the Municipal Corporation Commissioner here. 

As a result, the entire traffic on Batala Road from Bus Stand side has been diverted towards Majitha Road. However, as the entrance of Majitha road has been narrowed as most part has been dug for laying underground gas pipeline, a traffic chaos at the SSSS chowk was witnessed throughout the day. 

The diversion has also increased traffic in other areas as commuters have to use longer routes to bypass the damaged stretch. The traffic cops too had a hard day managing the traffic throughout the day. 

The administration has started the work to repair the road but as a large portion of the road has been washed away, the people cannot expect a respite at the earliest as it would take many more days. 

Though only one side of the road has been washed away as the side which leads from SSSS Chowk to Novelty Chowk is still intact, the officials stated that it has been made out of bounds for traffic due to security reasons. 

“The vehicles entry would slow down repair work and moreover we cannot take any chances,” said an official. 

Meanwhile, Cabinet Minister Om Parkash Soni visited various areas affected due to heavy rain and instructed Municipal Corporation officials to drain out water from these areas. 

He said that the normalcy would be restored soon and people need not worry as government had made all arrangements. 

Traffic diverted  

• The entire traffic on Batala Road from the bus stand side has been diverted towards Majitha Road. However, as the entrance of Majitha road has been narrowed as most part has been dug for laying underground gas pipeline, a traffic chaos at the SSSS chowk was witnessed throughout the day. 
• The diversion has also increased traffic in other areas as commuters have to use longer routes to bypass the damaged stretch.