Despite yesterday’s fatal road accident, motorists take wrong turn on elevated road in Amritsar

Even as three youths from Himachal Pradesh lost their lives in an accident while ascending the elevated road by taking a wrong turn from near Jahajgarh area adjacent to Ramtalai chowk, commuters continue to take the wrong route while the traffic police look the other way.

These commuters are not only putting their own lives at risk but also posing a threat to the lives of those coming down the elevated road for their onward journey to Golden Temple or towards the bus stand.

Earlier too, such incidents had occurred following which traffic cops were deputed to stop the commuters from climbing the elevated road from the wrong side. However, after a few attempts, this black spot was left unattended.

“Call it the careless attitude of traffic cops or scant regard for traffic norms by the people who deliberately take the wrong way while going up on the elevated road, the problem continues,” said Vijay Kumar, a local resident.

The traffic coming from the main road takes a ‘U-turn’ to climb up the elevated road the wrong way in order to avoid the traffic congestion near the inter-state bus terminus. This has created a black spot on the elevated road which is known as the lifeline of the holy city.

Whenever a mishap takes place, the traffic police come out of their slumber and start checking for over-speeding and other violations, including wrong side driving on the road. However, it should be a routine practice in order to avoid any accident, said another local resident Sarabjit Singh.

Not only two-wheelers, car occupants and commercial vehicles also take the route.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Amandeep Kaur said that it is an irony that the people know it is a wrong practice, still they indulge in this in a blatant manner. “We try to make commuters aware and sensitise them, but it hardly makes any difference,” said the ADCP (Traffic). She said strict action would be taken against the violators in the coming days.

Amritsar