Jalandhar: Potholed Maqsudan-DAV College road poses big risk for commuters

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, September 5

It’s been over three months that the Maqsudan Chowk — DAV College road has been lying in tatters, yet the civic authorities seem to be looking the other way. It has become difficult for the commuters to travel on the stretch riddled with huge potholes.

Area residents say the Municipal Corporation (MC) has failed to take action despite several complaints. “Within days of the first shower of the monsoon, the poor quality concrete used to fill potholes on the road has come off and the condition has gone from bad to worse. Water-logging after rains only adds to the woes. Most of the times, we commute on the road with the fear of losing our balance,” said Arwind Kumar, a student, who often uses the stretch to visit his college.

The fractured road clearly lays bare the fact that a poor quality of concrete was being used to fill them up. The sand mixed with gravels has also given way. Even as one side of the road has been repaired and replaced with the cemented concrete, similar re-carpeting is needed on the damaged stretch too.

The two essential cuts on the road, first to the Maqsudan bypass flyover and the other to Kartarpur, is home to many industrialists and the army personnel. Two army units, Sacred Heart Hospital and an ECHS hospital also fall on the same route near Maqsudan Chowk. The movement of heavy vehicles and defunct traffic light has made it miserable for the locals to navigate the road.

“It is impossible to travel without hiccups on this stretch. Cars are often seen stuck and face damage too,” said Sukhwant Singh, a resident of Nandanpur area, who works at a bank.

Area councillor Desh Raj Jassal said the road would be repaired in a few days. MC Commissioner, Karnesh Sharma also assured that the road would be re-carpeted shortly.