Stagnant water on NH-9 causes multiple accidents in Sirsa village
Sirsa, January 14
Stagnant rainwater on a stretch on National Highway (NH-9) near Mithri village in Sirsa district has become a constant cause of accidents.
On Monday night, six vehicles collided due to this water. Six persons, including two children, were injured in the accident.
After the mishap, villagers showed great effort by using their tractors to clear the wrecked vehicles from the highway. However, they expressed their anger towards the officials at the Khuian Malkana toll plaza. Despite repeated calls, the hydraulic machine needed to clear the water did not arrive. The villagers felt that while tolls were collected from them, there should also be proper services provided to them.
The accident occurred when a Scorpio SUV coming from Dabwali was turning towards Malikpura. A car coming from behind could not stop in time due to the stagnant water on the highway and crashed into the Scorpio. The Scorpio flipped, and four people inside were trapped, but were rescued by villagers with minor injuries. The car, carrying five people from Odhan, was also hit, and the woman and child suffered injuries.
Soon after, two pickup trucks loaded with kinnows, coming from Dabwali, crashed into each other due to the water. Hearing the loud crash, nearby villagers rushed to help the people in distress by pulling them out of the damaged vehicles. Cops from Odhan also arrived at the place.
Despite the ongoing accidents, the toll plaza did not send any help. When the villagers contacted the toll plaza multiple times, they were told that the hydraulic machine operator was unavailable, and later they were informed that the machine had no fuel. Frustrated, the villagers took matters into their own hands and used their tractors to clear the road to avoid further accidents.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) finally sent an official to the site the next morning. A JCB machine was brought to clear the water from the highway and directed towards a nearby pond.
Locals, including Hardip Singh, Rajendra Singh and others, said rainwater often accumulates on this side of the highway, causing regular accidents. They complained that despite submitting complaints to the authorities in November, no action had been taken. Additionally, street lights on the highway were not working, making it even more dangerous.
Villagers are demanding immediate action to resolve this issue, as accidents continue to occur due to the water on the road, especially during the rainy season. They hope the authorities will take their concerns seriously and work towards a permanent solution.
