Days after chief minister (CM) Manohar Lal Khattar halted impromptu at Sultanpur Chowk in Ambala to understand public complaints, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has sped up the process to construct an underpass at the location.
Khattar, who was travelling from Karnal to Chandigarh on Sunday, halted near the chowk to have tea and interact with locals. He asked them about their problems. During this, he was apprised of several accidents at the chowk on the Ambala-Chandigarh Expressway on National Highway-152 (Hisar-Chandigarh).
On Wednesday, a five-six member team from NHAI Panchkula inspected the site, which is nearly 10 km away from the district headquarters and also connects the Dhulkot and Geeta Nagri areas of the Ambala city with Jaraut village of Mohali.
The Sultanpur Chowk was listed as one of the 14 black spots in the district that witness high-traffic density and the situation is worsened due to the presence of a railway crossing at the Dhulkot fatak, which results in vehicles lining up to the intersection during the evening hours.
Speaking about the same, NHAI engineer Abhimanyu Malik told the HT, “The team collected technical data to pave the way for the construction of a vehicle underpass for local traffic, without disturbing the highway traffic. After this, a team from the Union ministry of road transport and highways will visit to check on the feasibility and other factors to prepare estimates within the next 2-3 months. We are also in discussion with the railway authorities and the PWD, as they are also preparing for a rail over-bridge.”
{{/usCountry}}Speaking about the same, NHAI engineer Abhimanyu Malik told the HT, “The team collected technical data to pave the way for the construction of a vehicle underpass for local traffic, without disturbing the highway traffic. After this, a team from the Union ministry of road transport and highways will visit to check on the feasibility and other factors to prepare estimates within the next 2-3 months. We are also in discussion with the railway authorities and the PWD, as they are also preparing for a rail over-bridge.”
{{/usCountry}}Earlier, the highway authority had also put pedestrian guardrails and other safety equipment due to heavy pedestrian movement at the site. Locals had earlier also highlighted how most of the accidents take place due to speeding buses either taking the Chandigarh highway from the service road or vice versa. Following complaints, a police post was also established to streamline traffic.
In 2021, it was revealed that nine accidents took place on the spot, killing six people in the last three years, and superintendent of police (SP) Jashandeep Singh Randhawa had written to the Union ministry to take steps for the safety of commuters and if required, build a flyover.