Wrong side driving goes unchecked on Bhandari railway overbridge in Amritsar

Amritsar, February 14

Unregulated flow of traffic and non-compliance of rules continue unabatedly at the busy Bhandari railway overbridge (ROB) with commuters taking to wrong side driving from the ramp heading towards Gol Bagh and back entry gate of the railway station.

The ROB receives traffic from five roads, which join it from the railway link road, Queen’s Road, Elevated Road, Hall Gate and Gol Bagh side. Yet commuters have been using the single-lane Gol Bagh road for commuting both ways, despite traffic police personnel on duty at the busiest routes in the city.

The wrong side driving adds to the lurking fear of an accident waiting to happen, as the steep ramp-like stretch of the ROB heading to Gol Bagh has become extremely dangerous due to its incline.

Making the matter worse, vehicles from both sides have been allowed to utilise the ramp. Although, the steep ramp has now been categorised as a one-way road, rules have been thrown to the wind.

The traffic police have often tried placing barricades to divide the sides of the traffic flow. There is a space between the barricades for scooters and motorcycles. Many two-wheeler drivers taking advantage of this space, enter through the wrong side on Bhandari Bridge and create traffic snarls.

Commuters from all sides come to the roundabout, but those going to Elevated Road and to the Hall Gate do not go around it. So, commuters from both sides tend to take a kind of shortcut, which adds to the confusion for the traffic coming from the Gol Bagh side. Adding to their woes, the Gole Bagh side is no longer one-way.