Cave-ins after rain: Death traps dot Chandigarh scape

Chandigarh, September 28

Some of the cave-ins caused during the recent rains in the city continue to remain uncovered and without warning signs despite being an open invitation to tragedy.

Caves-in were reported from near Sukhna Lake, in Sectors 33, 34 and 45 and some other parts of the city. Most areas are on the roadside and are a danger to commuters as well as pedestrians.

A pit in Sector 34 on the road separating Sectors 33 and 34, one behind a bus queue shelter in Sector 34 and at a park in Sector 33 are not barricaded.

“Ideally, there should be a helpline number for such cases. Once the call is received, the area should be immediately barricaded as the repair work would take time. These cave-ins pose a risk to pedestrians and cyclists,” said Harman Sidhu of ArriveSafe, a road safety NGO.

“I took up the issue of a cave-in on the road separating Sector 45 and 33 and got it barricaded. Others, like the one behind a bus stop Sector 34, have not been barricaded. The authorities are taking light of the matter,” said Kusum Ghai, an activist from Sector 45.

Mayor Sarbjit Kaur said, “We have barricaded the cave-ins which came to our knowledge and will cover others too. The repair work is already on.”