The Tribune : Mohit Khanna: Ludhiana: Fiday, February 19, 2016.
The Ladhowal toll plaza near Sutlej Bridge has turned into a traffic bottleneck and there seems no solution to the problem.
The toll plaza booths located a few metres from the bridge test the patience of thousands of commuters each day. Those using the highway on the weekends are the worst sufferers.
As the toll plaza authorities provide free passage to VIPs, politicians, bureaucrats and policemen, the policy makers do not get to know how it feels being stuck in traffic jams at the toll plaza.
Commuters, who were a harassed lot due to prolonged construction of the project that began on September 9, 2009, heaved a sigh of relief when the construction of the roads was nearing completion. However, the toll plaza crashed their hopes.
The toll plaza has six counters on either side of the highway. But these counters are inadequate to meet the heavy traffic rush. Further, there are no separate lanes for heavy vehicles.
The situation worsens on the weekends as long queues, stretching up to 1 km, could be witnessed on both sides of the highway.
Commuters coming from the Jalandhar side face the real torture. Sometimes, it takes more than an hour to cross the toll barrier.
Commuters feel the six collection points on either side are insufficient. They demand either more collection points should be constructed or the toll plaza shifted.
Earlier, the toll plaza was located near Doraha. But soon after the construction of the expressway in 2009, the toll plaza was shifted to Sutlej Bridge which is not wide enough.
Commuters going towards Jalandhar by car have to pay Rs 119 for the one-way passage at the Ladhowal toll plaza and Rs 179 for multiple journey. The company that was supposed to develop the six-lane expressway till November 2011 had missed several deadlines.
Fatal accidents on expressway
As per information obtained under the RTI Act, the construction company has collected nearly Rs 1,100 crore as toll till 2013. A number of fatal accidents have taken place on Jalandhar Bypass, at Jodhewal Basti Chowk, Samrala Chowk, Sherpur Chowk and Giaspura Chowk. In April 2014, a 14-year-old boy from Phagwara had fell through a missing slab on the old bridge and drowned in the Sutlej. Around 42 passengers were killed after a bus plunged into Sirhind Canal in 2013. Five persons, including two women, were killed when the car they were travelling in rammed into a stationary truck near Sahnewal on February 2.
Ludhiana MP raised issue in Lok Sabha
Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu said he had raised the issue of difficulties faced by commuters travelling from Ludhiana to Jalandhar in Parliament. He said the toll plaza had virtually become a fenced boarder and it had disconnected the towns of Phillaur and Goraya from the city. Not only due the hefty toll, people are also reluctant to travel on the stretch due to traffic jams at the toll plaza. “We are planning to confront the government over the issue as the common man is suffering,” said the MP.
Speaking out
"The toll plaza located near Sutlej Bridge on the NH 1 is a nightmare. Commuters remain stranded in long queues of vehicles which wastes their time as well as fuel. Despite the hefty toll, there are no proper arrangements to handle even normal traffic. There are no arrangements to manage rush-hour traffic and to segregate heavy commercial vehicles. One wonders if the authorities are aware of commuters’ plight or are just interested in collecting money."
— Amit Behal, a commuter
"The Ladhowal toll plaza has turned into a big hurdle for commuters travelling from Jalandhar to Ludhiana. It takes nearly 45 minutes to cross the toll barrier. It wastes not only time but also fuel."
— Sunil Jain, a businessman
"}Ideally, the government should not charge toll until proper facilities are provided to commuters. The weekend is the only time to travel with family. If that too is spent in traffic jams, then what is the use of constructing highways. Travelling to Amritsar gives one jitters. Before beginning the journey, one can only pray that he doesn’t have to face any kind of hiccups at the Ladhowal toll plaza."
— Sanjiv Gupta, LIC Division Officer
"The toll plaza staff work with unprofessional approach, resulting in virtual stampede-like situation on Sutlej Bridge. Buses, trucks and other commercial vehicles do not leave safe passage for cyclists, scooters and motorcyclists. The situation becomes grim at night on the poorly lit bridge. Those who want to renew their monthly passes have to park their vehicles on the main road in the absence of a service lane. Why don’t the plaza authorities provide online facility for renewal of passes? This will not only save commuters’ time but also ease traffic at the barrier. The plaza authorities should deploy trained personnel to regulate the lane system and ensure two-wheeler riders’ safety. Occasional visitors from the Ludhiana and Jalandhar side are the worst sufferers."
— Brij Bhushan Goyal, Organising Secretary, Mahatma Gandhi Peace Mission, Phillaur
What plaza official says
"We are putting 100 per cent effort to ensure a smooth ride on the highway. During the time of festivals and weekend religious congregations (satsang), the number of vehicles increases. However, we make adequate arrangements to tackle the additional rush of vehicles. There is no provision to increase the number of toll booths."
— Kailash, manager of toll plaza at Ladhowal
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