E-Paper
Chandigarh’s Madhya Marg remains choked for second day
Chandigarh Police have requested their counterparts in Panchkula to divert incoming traffic from Himachal Pradesh to Zirakpur
Traffic congestion on Madhya Marg in Chandigarh due to damage to arterial roads continued to cause hardship to commuters for the second consecutive day on Wednesday.
To ease vehicle load on the major traffic lifeline, Chandigarh Police on Wednesday requested their counterparts in Panchkula to divert traffic coming from Himachal Pradesh towards Zirakpur.
The situation, according to police officials, is expected to ease in a couple of days.
The stretch on Madhya Marg from Housing Board light point near Manimajra till Transport light point near Sector 26 remained choked during office hours, as four key bridges over Sukhna Choe, including Kishangarh, Shastri Nagar, Makhan Majra and CTU workshop, Industrial Area, Phase 1, were damaged due to continuous release of water in Sukhna Choe from regulator end gates of the lake.
These bridges were closed by the administration, following which traffic from Panchkula, IT Park, Manimajra, Mansa Devi Complex and Panchkula’s Sector 17 was redirected to Madhya Marg.
Traffic was also closed and diverted from the railway under bridge near CTU workshop and Mauli Jagran due to heavy waterlogging. Consequently, vehicles coming from Panchkula and Baltana have also been forced to travel via Madhya Marg road.
“I had to reach my office in Chandigarh, but I got stuck in a massive traffic jam near Kalagram light point, following which I took a wrong turn towards a petrol pump on the opposite side and entered the inner roads of Manimajra, trying to reach Chandigarh from Bapu Dham. But that road was also blocked, forcing me to return home,”said Ruhi Sharma, a Manimajra resident.
“In order to reduce traffic congestion on Madhya Marg, we have deployed extra traffic cops at all major junctions till 11 pm,” said Manisha Chaudhary, senior superintendent of police (SSP, Traffic).
DSP (Traffic) Jaswinder Singh said commuters had no choice but to commute through Madhya Marg: “They must avoid the routes leading to Kishangarh, Shastri Nagar, Makhan Majra and CTU workshop in Industrial Area to enter Chandigarh, as they would again have to return to Madhya Marg. The repair work is in full swing. The Shastri Nagar route will be reopened by Friday and route from Hallo Majra to Panchkula via Mauli Jagran may be reopened on Thursday.”
Panchkula police issue advisory
With commuters heading from Panchkula to Chandigarh also getting stuck in massive traffic jams, Panchkula police also issued a traffic advisory for alternative routes.
Due to increased traffic load on Madhya Marg, commuters going from Panchkula to Chandigarh have been advised to take the route via Zirakpur, until alternative routes become viable for traffic movement.
The Panchkula police also advised commuters to avoid using the Nada Sahib- Morni road, as it is temporarily blocked due to landslides at various places. The advisory issued said light vehicles may take diversion via Raipur Rani to Morni route.
