Illegal openings continue to pose threat

Mohali, November 19

Despite Mohali Deputy Commissioner’s direction to plug illegal accesses on Zirakpur-Dera Bassi Highway, the menace is still going on, thereby posing a danger to life.

Notably, several establishments, set up along the highway, have illegal openings on the main road which not only hamper the traffic flow, but also raise the chances of accidents on the stretch.

As per information received by Harman Singh Sidhu, President of NGO ArriveSAFE, under the RTI Act, only three establishments have mandatory access permission and eight have provisional no objection certificates (NOCs). Rest of the commercial establishments, including fuel stations, marriage palaces, eateries, banquet halls, automobile showrooms, liquor vends, factories and others, have direct openings on to the busy NH-152, thus causing road crashes, obstruct smooth flow of traffic and damage road infrastructure by filled up drains.

As per the rule, the NHAI should immediately close or dismantle all such illegal accesses with immediate effect. Mohali Deputy Commissioner Girish Dayalan said he had sent a communiqué to NHAI authorities to check the menace and do the needful in this direction. — TNS