Dug-up Chuggiti Road a nightmare for commuters

The poor condition of Chuggiti Road near Guru Nanak Pura Park has become a nightmare for commuters and residents alike.

This stretch, which serves as a crucial link for those travelling to Amritsar, was dug up about one-and-a-half months ago during the pre-election frenzy when the Municipal Corporation (MC) was scrambling to repair the city's deteriorating roads. However, since the elections concluded, the repair work seems to have been abandoned, leaving the stretch in a dangerous state.

The road was already in a poor condition before being dug-up. Commuters, lured by the shorter route from Jalandhar to Amritsar and Hoshiarpur, have no option but to brave the hazardous stretch as they avoid the extra 2-km detour via the PAP flyover. With heavy traffic flowing through the area daily, the dug-up stretch has now become a headache.

Residents and commuters say their frustrations have reached a boiling point. “The road was unmotorable even before it was dug up,” said a commuter. “We thought the repairs would finally address the years of neglect, but nothing has changed. There’s no sign of work restarting, and the road is almost closed for commuters.”

Criticism over the quality of work is widespread. “This is not just about Chuggiti Road,” a commuter said, adding that the majority of roads suffer from shoddy patchwork and a lack of proper supervision. Repairs are temporary, at best, and conditions deteriorate within weeks.

Kamal Sharma, a resident of Chuggiti, points out that the condition extends beyond the stretch near Guru Nanak Pura Park. "The road from the railway crossing is riddled with potholes, slowing traffic and endangering lives. Despite paying taxes, we are forced to endure such roads. Safe and well-maintained roads should be the MC’s priority,” Sharma said.

Another resident expressed anger over political leaders, who promised better infrastructure, urging them to address the situation urgently. “The abandoned repair work is now a grim reminder of promises made during the election period, promises that seem to have been forgotten”, he said.