Safety takes backseat on Paonta Sahib-Bangran road

Frequent accidents involving heavy vehicles on the Bangran road in Paonta Sahib have become a cause for concern.

On Friday night, a truck loaded with crusher material overturned at Phulpur village. No casualties were reported as there were no bystanders at the time of the accident. Locals said the truck lost control and overturned on the roadside, narrowly avoiding a major disaster. The Paonta-Bangran road has witnessed several such accidents recently, raising road safety concerns among the residents.

As heavy vehicles ferry crusher material frequently on this stretch, the residents residing in the houses situated on the roadside are always at risk of a major mishap.

Despite increase in road accidents, the authorities concerned have failed to curb reckless driving. Locals alleged that many drivers operate under the influence of alcohol, especially at night.

The residents said the administration should set up check posts to curb drunken driving and increase night patrols on this particular road. They also urged the authorities to improve roads in the area.

The residents claimed that they had raised the matter before the authorities concerned multiple times, but to no avail.

Assistant Regional Transport Officer Sona Chauhan said, “We have collected a fine of around Rs 1 crore from overloaded and over-speeding vehicles in the past nine months in Paonta Sahib. The Transport Department is continuously taking action against traffic violators.”