PWD swings into action after digging work on Patiala-Sirhind Road causes accidents
Ongoing construction work for the four-laning of the Patiala-Sirhind road has been causing traffic accidents, particularly during night. Due to excavation of earth on both sides of the road, heavy vehicles and cars have been toppling over, primarily due to low visibility and the absence of adequate safety measures.
Taking serious note of accidents, Deputy Commissioner Dr Preeti Yadav directed officials of the Public Works Department (PWD) to take immediate preventive steps to curb such incidents.
She emphasised on the urgent need for installing speed limit signboards, reflectors and other safety markers to ensure smooth traffic movement and safeguard public lives.
Regular commuters on this stretch have raised serious concerns over the current state of the road. Balraj Ahuja, a frequent traveller, pointed out that the excavation had left nearly two-foot-deep trenches on both sides of the road, with only small gunny bags placed as markers. “These gunny bags are barely visible at night, especially due to the glare from oncoming vehicles,” he said.
Another commuter, Tushar Sood, echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the absence of basic safety measures. “A simple reflector lane or adequate signage could have prevented many accidents. There are no crash barriers or delineators to guide motorists,” he said.
Navdeep Asija, traffic adviser to the Punjab Government, said ensuring safety during construction was responsibility of the contractor. He said installing barricades, markings, signs, flags and lights for the awareness of the commuters was necessary.
Harman Singh Sidhu, a road safety expert and president of the NGO Arrive Safe, strongly criticised the makeshift safety measures. “Placing gunny bags is not a solution. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for under-construction sites must be strictly followed. Traffic management is part of the concessionaire’s contract and non-compliance can result in legal consequences under Section 198A of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019,” he asserted.
Following DC’s directives, Executive Engineer (XEN) Sharanpreet Singh, along with his team and SDO Manjit Singh, conducted an on-site inspection of the road. As an immediate response, additional sandbags, reflectors and speed limit signboards were placed at accident-prone locations to enhance visibility and safety.
The DC also urged commuters to follow road safety rules, reduce their vehicle speed and pay attention to warning signs, sandbags and tape strips placed along the under-construction stretches. The DC further assured that once completed, the newly expanded Sirhind Road would eliminate 12 existing accident-prone spots, significantly improving road safety.
The Punjab Government has sanctioned the 28-km road widening project, with 21 km — from Gurdwara Sri Dukhniwaran Sahib to Sirhind GT Road — currently under rapid development. Additionally, a new steel bridge over the Narwana branch of the Bhakra Canal has been successfully completed, marking a major milestone in the project.
The DC also noted that while 6.5 km of the Patiala-Barnala stretch had already been four-laned, the remaining 21 km was being expanded to a width of 8.75 metre on both sides, with a 1.2-metre divider for better traffic management.
Dr Yadav stressed that the strategic significance of the Patiala-Sirhind road, which serves not only commercial and social purposes, also connects key religious sites such as Gurdwara Sri Dukhniwaran Sahib, Fatehgarh Sahib and Chamkaur Sahib. Additionally, it acts as a crucial link between Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh via GT Road, she said.
With swift intervention and strict safety measures now being implemented, the authorities concerned aim to prevent further accidents and ensure the safe and timely completion of the essential project.
