Dera Bassi: Close shave for 30 as pickup gets stuck in waterlogged underpass

Dera Bassi, January 10

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Around 30 migrant labourers, including children, women and elderly, had a close shave today when the pickup truck they were travelling in got stuck in a waterlogged railway underpass near Janetpur.

Panic gripped the passengers as the water level submerged the tyres of the pickup truck completely and they raised the alarm. Residents of a nearby village rescued the passengers and towed the vehicle with a tractor to avert a major incident.

Eyewitnesses said the area was not well lit, which compounded the problem. The driver of the pickup truck, which had a UP registration number, did not notice the slush and was trying to take the Chandigarh-Ambala highway at night. The passengers were on their way to different parts of UP.

Localites said the underpass used to get waterlogged with slush during rain and accidents were a common sight here, but the railway authorities and the administration officials were unmoved. The underpass got flooded on rainy days due to lack of drainage system, they complained.

Former sarpanch Balbir Singh said despite the long standing demand, no arrangement was made for the drainage of water. “There is no provision of light due to which people coming from outside get trapped. The authorities concerned should make permanent arrangement for drainage of rainwater at this underpass,” he said. — TNS

‘Officials apathetic’

• Local residents said the underpass used to get waterlogged during rain and accidents were a common sight here, but the railway authorities and the administration officials were unmoved.