New Chandigarh residents stage protest, demand safer roads

Residents of Eco City, Omaxe, Ambika, DLF and nearby villages, organised a march and a prayer meeting to honour those who lost their lives in accidents on PR-6 road (Airport Road) near Ambika Florence Park. The event was followed by a peaceful march to Clockton Market, with participants carrying banners and placards demanding urgent road safety improvements.

They complained GMADA’s inaction had resulted in a series of accidents on the incomplete Airport Road, where only one side has been operational for years, forcing two-way traffic onto a narrow stretch filled with potholes. Reckless driving has led to several head-on collisions here.

A young woman Bindu Rana (Anu), and a youth Brahmjeet Bawa died in road accidents here recently.

Randhir Singh, father of Bindu Rana (Anu), expressed his deep sorrow. “With big dreams of moving from Himachal to Chandigarh, we bought a house in Ambika. Due to the negligence of GMADA, our daughter lost her life. Now we want to sell the house and go back to HP,” he added.

Veena Sachdeva of Omaxe demanded an inquiry into the flawed design, approved by GMADA.

Maninder Singh Bawa, who lost his son Brahmjeet in a road accident on VR-5, said. “My son died because of poor road design and the closure of one side of the road. The police refused to file an FIR,” he said.

KR Negi, a resident of Florence Park, said, “New garbage dumping points are cropping up along the roadside, attracting stray animals. This makes driving even more hazardous especially at night.”

For the past five years, the Omaxe Residents Welfare Association (ORWA) has repeatedly petitioned officials, including the DC, SSP, GMADA and the Chief Minister’s office. “No one is willing to listen,” Pardeep Gupta said, a representative from ORWA.

Vinod Thakur, president of FloRA, accused GMADA of misleading residents by claiming a Supreme Court stay order on road construction. “The stay is on an NGT order against Omaxe, not the restoration of PR-6. GMADA needs to be transparent and share the actual court order.”

Heavy vehicles, carrying construction material, should be banned from plying here between 6 am and 10pm, they said.