Low-height overbridge in Abohar poses risk to two-wheeler riders

Raj Sadosh

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Abohar, October 8

At least thousand motorcyclists and scooterists risk their life each day while passing through low-height steel-iron overbridge that was inaugurated on May 14, 2016, to connect Nai Abadi with the old walled city.

Then Leader of Opposition Sunil Jakhar had got Rs 10.38 crore sanctioned from Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for the project but was not invited to the opening ceremony of the overbridge.

Interlocking tiles on the 10-foot wide (five feet each lane) bridge have been damaged. The Railways authorities are not taking up repair work claiming that their responsibility ended after completing construction of the overbridge.

Earlier, officials of the Public Works Department said the Railways had not formally handed over possession of the overbridge technically after its completion.

Workers of the Municipal Corporation had repaired the overbridge floor three months ago but it did not last long. Nar Sewa Narayan Sewa chief Raju Charaya said two-wheeler riders find it difficult to maintain balance while passing through the overbridge due to jerks as its floor was broken. Some even get injured, he said.

At least 50 per cent of the LED lights near the overbridge are also lying defunct. The Railways had not cleared shrubs under the overbridge despite knowing that these posed a threat to passengers, who passed through ground lanes.

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu had in December 2015 accepted Sunil Jakhar’s request to allocate funds for the construction of an underpass on Sriganganagar Road. He had sanctioned Rs 5.58 crore in the 2016 Rail Budget for the underpass. Jakhar had told Prabhu at Rail Bhawan meeting that the B-50 railway level crossing on Sriganganagar Road was closed 28 times each day.

A survey had revealed that around one lakh vehicles passed through the crossing and an underpass was necessary to facilitate smooth flow of traffic. So far, the underpass has not been constructed as engineers have cited some technical problems in carrying out the project.

Now, the level crossing (phatak) has been also closed to facilitate track checking. This has increased closure-period, forcing more two-wheeler riders to use the low- height steel-iron bridge.

Mayor Vimal Thatai said, “Efforts to repair the floor of the overbridge will be made soon. Its grills also need repairs to ensure safety of two-wheeler riders.”