Dug up for gas pipelines once, ignored forever

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 23

Around 2.5 lakh residents are going through the brunt of Municipal Corporation’s delinquency regarding the road that connects Putlighar chowk on main GT road with Islamabad area.

Apart from being the place of historic shrine Gurdwara Pipli Sahib, it also leads to various localities of Islamabad area, including Ram Nagar Colony, Chhota and Vadda Haripura, Adarsh Nagar, Kot Khalsa, Nava Kot, Navi Abadi etc, which make up for the numbers that have to daily bear multiple troubles arising out of the neglected path.

Rakesh Sharma, a shopkeeper, brings to life the part of the ordeal when it all began. He said that the road was dug up by the firm involved in laying gas pipelines. “When asked they told that the requisite fee with the MC’s authorities for repairing the road had been deposited. However, once the road was spaded it never was repaired opening up a host of problems for commuters as well as the inhabitants of the adjoining localities,” Sharma added.

The people can’t really help their vexation. Rampant encroachments aside, the road is bristling with gravels scattered from the manholes. These small craters are a big threat as they whip up accidents every now and then.

Balram Verma, a resident of Palika bazaar, said, they had met local municipal councillor many a time for getting the it repaired and bring some respite to the people but no action has been taken till date. The construction of flyover at railway crossing No. 22 had only added to their woes as commuters were diverted to Islamabad road due to the under construction flyover. “The company involved in the construction has failed to provide a service lane to people, that could’ve soaked some of the inconvenience,” Balram shared.

Vikas Kumar, a shopkeeper, chips in, “The area on either side of Islamabad railway crossing located on Putlighar-Islamabad road always remained potholed.”

Avinash Jolly, municipal councillor of the area, said that as far as the road from Pulighar chowk of railway crossing; that has been sanctioned in the plan, but was not being constructed by the MC authorities for the reasons best known to them. “The portions that were damaged by the firm involved in laying gas pipelines, it is the duty of the MC for repairing them as the firm deposits the money with it for the mending,” he told.