Pachgaon locals demand ‘safe road link’ near toll plaza site

Residents said work on the toll plaza would not be allowed to proceed until the government assured the villagers of a flyover to facilitate safe crossing and access to Jamalpur Road

Around 500 residents from 63 villages gathered in Pachgaon on Sunday for a Mahapanchayat, demanding the construction of a flyover at the highway crossing near the under-construction Pachgaon toll plaza.

Locals held a mahapanchayat on Sunday demanding construction of a flyover at Pachgaon. (HT Photo)

The meeting, organised by the Pachgaon Toll Sangarsh Samiti and chaired by Sarpanch Hoshiyar Singh, resolved that work on the toll plaza would not be allowed to proceed until the government assured the villagers of a flyover to facilitate safe crossing and access to Jamalpur Road.

Participants, including sarpanches and panches from the surrounding villages, said the flyover is essential to prevent accidents and improve connectivity. “Once the toll plaza gets constructed, the authorities won’t have any interest in building the flyover or underpass, which is crucial for local villagers and even commuters to access the Jamalpur road,” said Mahender Singh Patwari, a Pachgaon resident. “We have already apprised the district administration about the problems being faced by us.”

Villagers called the Pachgaon crossing a “blackspot” on the Delhi–Jaipur Highway, saying it witnesses regular accidents. “We want the authorities to take action and help the locals,” said another villager.

Pataudi MLA Bimla Chaudhary, who attended the Mahapanchayat along with senior Gurugram administration officials, said she has assured the residents their concerns would be taken to higher authorities. “This is a genuine problem for locals of several villages, and today I assured them that this matter will be taken up with the highest authorities. I have asked them to form a committee, and I will help the members in meeting the chief minister to apprise him about this problem. They can also meet Union minister Rao Inderjit Singh so that this matter can be taken up with the Union transport ministry, as this is an NHAI matter,” she said.

Gurugram deputy commissioner Ajay Kumar said a committee headed by the additional deputy commissioner (ADC) has been formed to look into the matter and submit a report. A senior government official who visited the site said a memorandum from the villagers has been accepted and will be submitted to the government. “The government is already looking into the matter, and it will be resolved,” the official said.

A senior NHAI official said they are examining the feasibility of an underpass at the location to improve access for residents who need to cross the highway or commute to Jamalpur Road.