Bridges sans safety grills spark safety concerns after fatal accident in Muktsar

Several bridges across Punjab’s Muktsar district are operating without essential safety grills, posing a grave danger to commuters and drawing mounting criticism from local residents and social activists.

The issue resurfaced on Friday evening when a motorcycle carrying a family of three skidded off a bridge and plunged into the Sirhind Feeder canal near Manianwala village. The bridge, notably, had no safety railing.

While the man and his two-year-old child were rescued by bystanders, his wife, identified as Pawandeep Kaur of Buttar Bakhua village, is feared to have drowned. A sudden dust storm is believed to have caused the accident.

This is not an isolated case. A number of bridges in the district lack basic safety infrastructure. A bridge currently under construction over the Chandbhan drain at Rupana village has minimal safety arrangements in place. Though a diversion has been provided for light vehicles, it becomes inaccessible during rainfall, making it highly unsafe.

Similarly, bridges at Goneana village over the Chandbhan drain and another over Bhagsar minor between Jheendwala and Nandgarh villages also lack safety grills, posing a continuous hazard to daily commuters.

In September 2023, a private bus carrying passengers fell into the Sirhind Feeder canal near Jhabelwali during heavy rainfall, resulting in the death of nine people.

These ongoing lapses have drawn strong reactions from the community. “The district administration must act before another tragedy strikes,” said Jaswant Singh Brar, a local social activist.

“Many bridges are not only without safety grills but are also in poor condition. If immediate repairs can’t be done, the authorities should at least close the most dangerous ones,” he urged.

A meeting to address bridge safety concerns was held during the Maghi Mela in January, but locals report that no concrete action has been taken so far.

Bathinda