Despite paying toll fee, commuters forced to travel on battered Amritsar-Jhabal road

Commuters on the Amritsar-Jhabal road are expressing frustration and feeling cheated by the poor condition of the road infrastructure, despite paying a hefty toll fee. The toll plaza was established nearly three years ago, even before the project was completed, and since then, the road’s condition has deteriorated significantly.

The road is riddled with potholes, with drivers having to slow down their vehicles to the extent of halting them to pass the potholes at various places.

”There is hardly a 500-m stretch which does not have potholes forcing drivers to slow down their vehicles,” said Inderbir Singh, a frequent traveler on the stretch. The four wheeler drivers have to pay Rs 40 for a one-way drive, but the road condition is worse than a link road, he added.

Thousands of vehicles use this road daily, which connects Amritsar to places like Bhikhiwind and Khemkaran. Despite being one of the busiest road stretches in the district, its condition is unacceptable.

”A major portion of the road does not even have white markings on its sides which guide drivers on a foggy day,” said Gurnam Singh, another commuter. People do not mind paying toll fee but it is the duty of the government to ensure that they are getting the best service for their money, he said.

Many commuters have reported close shaves and minor accidents due to the broken road. ”This is a ticking time bomb,” said Gurpreet Singh, a local resident. He added that the authorities must take notice of the problems faced by commuters before someone loses their life or limb.

The lack of warning signs and maintenance on the road poses a significant risk to commuters. The government needs to take immediate action to address these issues and provide a safe and reliable transportation system for the public.

Amritsar