Baijnath-Paprola residents demand bypass road

Our Correspondent

Palampur, April 7

Residents of Baijnath and Paprola towns today called on local MLA Kishori Lal, who is also the Chief Parliamentary Secretary, and demanded the construction of a bypass road on Pathankot-Mandi NH passing through these towns. Residents said the government should initiate the construction of bypass roads so that they could get rid of frequent traffic jams, which had made their lives miserable.

The residents said it was expected that the NHAI would construct a bypass on the Pathankot- Mandi national highway passing through the town when it was decided to upgrade it to a four-lane highway. However, now the NHAI had planned to construct a new road that would not pass through these towns, therefore the plan for the construction of the bypass had been shelved by the authority.

The residents urged the CPS that the state government should immediately undertake the construction of a bypass from Tashi Jong to Baijnath railway crossing, keeping in view the worsening traffic situation.

Residents of Baijnath said they had also raised the issue before the previous government. Regular traffic jams on the narrow Pathankot-Mandi national highway, one of the busiest roads of the state, have not only affected the businesses of local residents, but had caused inconvenience to commuters, especially tourists. Many times ambulances and police vehicles are struck in snarl-ups for a long time, causing inconvenience to the public.

“If this bypass road is constructed, it will help to reduce the volume of traffic in both the towns, especially heavy vehicles which cause traffic congestion, besides posing a threat of accidents. Therefore, it is necessary to undertake the construction of this bypass road at the earliest,” said Kishori Lal.

However, a senior official of the state Public Works Department, said the work related to the Pathankot-Mandi NH had been transferred to the NHAI three years ago. The state government had no authority to construct a bypass on this part of the national highway as it was under the jurisdiction of the NHAI. He added that the state government could take any decision in this regard only after consulting the NHAI.

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