Traffic chaos in Sirsa as bridge work advances

The bridge construction in Sirsa has disrupted daily life for thousands of residents, prompting MP Kumari Selja and locals to urge the Railways Ministry to reopen an old railway level crossing for small vehicles to ease traffic pressure.

The work is under way on a railway overbridge at Chattargarh Patti, while another underbridge on old Court Road is planned. These projects are considered for the city’s long-term development, but they have sharply affected movement between the eastern and western parts of the city.

Sirsa has a population of about 300,000. Roughly 200,000 people live in the western areas, including Chattargarh Patti, Rania Road and Dabwali Road while around 100,000 live in the east near the Mini-Secretariat, Police Lines, HUDA sectors, Chaudhary Devi Lal University and Hisar Road. With construction blocking key routes, small vehicles, scooters, motorbikes, rickshaws and cyclists are facing the worst delays.

Selja has appealed to the central Railways Ministry to temporarily reopen the old Chattargarh Patti railway gate for small and light vehicles. She said for years, the gate served as the main passage for the city and reopening it would bring “immediate relief” to a large section of the population. She also asked for a new temporary route near the goods shed at the Sirsa railway station so that small vehicles could bypass the construction zone.

The residents say the closure of the mini-bypass road has pushed all traffic into the city, causing long jams several times a day, especially when the police shifts change. The traffic police often struggle to clear the congestion. Heavy vehicles are being directed to the highway, while small vehicles are forced through narrow city lanes, where broken sewer covers and damaged roads are now common.

Deep digging work for shifting sewer lines, including pits about 20 ft deep has prompted the authorities to place barricades on both sides of the construction site, closing nearby routes. The vehicles from Rania and Dabwali are adding to the load, increasing congestion at Sangwan Chowk, Lalbatti Chowk, Ambedkar Chowk and near the bus stand.

With the roads blocked, many drivers are cutting through residential lanes in Chattargarh Patti. The local people say constant traffic has damaged their streets and broken sewer lids. In frustration, some residents have placed stones, bushes and tree stumps to block the lanes and stop two-wheelers from passing. They say the digging work has forced more vehicles into their neighbourhoods even though the main gate technically remains open, as permission for a full closure could not be obtained.

Contractor Raghuvir Kadian said the police have already been asked to place barricades and traffic has been diverted as the work continues. Meanwhile, the residents are now demanding that a previously closed route blocked with a wall be reopened to help restore smoother traffic flow.