Dug-up roads have doubled travel time to Kapurthala

Deepkamal Kaur

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Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 26

Thousands of commuters between Jalandhar and Kapurthala are a harassed lot as the connecting road is not only potholed but also has been dug up in the monsoon to lay sewerage.

The resultant slush has increased the normal travel time from 35 minutes to over an hour. Even while the road till the Basti Bawa Khel area is smooth, the drive through the 2-km stretch of the state highway is a nightmare, especially since this congested stretch is single and without any divider. The road beyond the DAV Canal is fully 

potholed. As the depressions get filled up with rainwater, daily commuters say that it is common to see collisions and falls during peak hour rush in the mornings and evenings.

Much more harrowing is crossing the next 1.5-km stretch as more than 70 per cent of the width of the road has been dug up to lay the sewer lines. It takes over 15 minutes to cover this small stretch near the Surgical and Leather Complex. 

Having crossed this stretch, the remaining drive till Kapurthala is quite smooth. 

Those travelling at night, however, complain that there are no warning signs along the trenches. They also rue that the railway over-bridge is also not lit. 

"Poles for streetlight were erected along the bridge when it was opened a year ago, but the lamps are yet to be fixed," said Rekha Malhotra, a resident of Kapurthala. 

MC Commissioner GS Khehra said, "The road near Basti Bawa Khel used to get inundated with 1-2 ft water even after a mild shower. The problem had to be rectified on priority. Once the sewerage work gets done, we will get this part re-carpeted."