Traffic tangle: Baijnath, Paprola locals seek urgent action on highway woes

Residents of Baijnath and Paprola towns have raised a strong protest over frequent traffic jams on the narrow Pathankot-Mandi National Highway (NH) that passes through the towns. Citing daily hardships and economic losses, they have demanded immediate construction of bypass roads to ease congestion.

Addressing the media on behalf of the local residents, Ghanshyam Awasthi, Munish Dixit, Chaman Dohroo, Manoj Sood and Ankit Sood expressed concern over the worsening situation. They said earlier, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was expected to construct a bypass as part of the highway’s upgradation to four lanes. However, the NHAI has since altered the alignment of the project, now planning a new road that will bypass both towns entirely — effectively shelving the original bypass proposal.

The residents urged the state government to reclaim this stretch of highway from the NHAI and immediately undertake the construction of a bypass road from Tashi Jong to the Baijnath railway crossing. They emphasised that the traffic situation had deteriorated to the point where daily life and commerce were being severely impacted.

The issue was earlier raised with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and local MLA Kishori Lal, both of whom had reportedly assured the public of their support for the bypass project. However, the Public Works Department (PWD) has not been able to secure the necessary funds from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), stalling any further progress.

Baijnath MLA Kishori Lal confirmed that a detailed project report (DPR) for the bypass was submitted to MoRTH a year ago. He expressed hope that funds would be sanctioned soon and acknowledged the seriousness of the situation. “Ambulances, fire brigades and police vehicles often remain stuck for hours, causing significant inconvenience. If constructed, the bypass will ease the burden of traffic — especially heavy vehicles — and ensure safer, faster movement through both towns,” he added.