Driving on service lanes commuters' nightmare

Tribune News Service

Gaurav Kanthwal

Zirakpur, January 28

More than a month after an underpass was made operational on the Chandigarh-Zirakpur road on December 10, the service lanes alongside the flyover have not been recarpeted, causing inconvenience to commuters, particularly those on two-wheelers.

Problems aplenty

• Potholes, slush test road users’ patience
• Construction of drains alongside road left midway
• Deep trench poses risk to road users on a narrow stretch
• Two-wheeler drivers jostle for space with heavy vehicles
• PWD fails to install lights on the 580-m elevated path

Potholes, slush continue to test road users’ patience as two-wheeler drivers jostle for space with heavy vehicles. The construction of drains alongside the road has been left midway with a deep trench posing risk to the road users on a narrow stretch.

The Punjab Public Works Department (PWD) has forgotten to install a lighting system on the 580-metre elevated path.

“The sewer line on the side of the service road has not been completed and left open. The deep pits are an open invitation to tragedy at night. It all exposes the shoddy work of the PWD,” said Reena Chadha, a resident of VIP Road.

Area residents said the construction company, which had been awarded the underpass work, had refused to take care of the service lane till the project was complete. It said the maintenance of the service lane was not part of the contract.

“The localites using the service lanes have to face inconvenience due to potholes and slush. Two-wheeler riders are the most harried lot as they have to use the road alongside heavy vehicles on the narrow stretch,” said Rajender Sharma, a Zirakpur resident.

“On rainy days, the soil and construction material comes on to the road and make the path slushy and slippery. It is a very risky stretch for two-wheeler riders,” said Shailendar Singh, a Baltana resident.