Mohali: Mohali Municipal Corporation Deputy Mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi today visited the road adjacent to Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Inter State Bus Terminus located in Phase 6 and found that a large part of the road taken over by the company which was building the bus stand here is in very bad shape and any time a serious accident may occur there.
Company had made a boundary by placing iron pillars in front and had also installed various advertising boards over them, now when the work has stopped since last many years, mischievous elements have taken away those boards and the condition of the road has become worst at Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Inter-State Bus Terminus is said to be constructed at the cost of Rs 500 crore.
Talking to reporters, Kuljit Singh Bedi said that he has raised the issue of this road earlier too and said that when it was proposed to build the bus stand there, the Pvt company had taken over a part of the road adjacent to it and put up boards around it, Bedi said that the building of the bus stand was completed but a part was yet to be built when the company abandoned the work.
Bedi said that the new bus stand did not work and neither did the road. He said that May 21, was the last day of road safety week, and added that a large number of officials and political leaders pass through this road, but no one is paying attention towards the collapsing road and said that he is afraid that if immediate action is not taken, a major accident may occur here in the coming monsoons and raised the question who will be responsible for this and warned that if any accident takes place, he will ensure that strict action is taken against the responsible officials.
He said that the issue is very serious and he is also going to write a letter to the Deputy Commissioner Mohali in this matter as the DC Mohali is also the Chairman of Road Safety. He said that this road is at the entry of Mohali and people coming down the highway enter Mohali using this stretch and had demanded that this road should be repaired immediately and the weeds should be cleared and the road should be made operational.
Mohali Deputy Mayor said that Mohali is on the International Map but Mohali does not have any bus stand and has also demanded that a bus stand should be made operational or if in any case it cannot be done then another bus stand should be constructed immediately in Mohali.
Few days ago Justice Arvind Singh Sangwan had issued a slew of directions to ensure the operations from the premises, including biometric attendance of roadways drivers and extensive challaning of all erring drivers halting outside, on a petition alleging contempt of court filed by Ram Kumar in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Directions came on a petition alleging contempt of court, it was claimed drivers were not taking buses inside the Phase 6 terminus constructed at the cost of Rs 500 crore. Most were boarding and de-boarding passengers on highway, creating traffic chaos and posing threat to life of commuters. Also, most private buses were operating from Phase 6 market area, it was claimed.
Justice Sangwan in his orders asserted private buses plying from Phase 6, Mohali, would operate from within the main bus stand without raising objection regarding their permits, which would be decided in separate proceedings. They were also directed to be given a place inside the bus stand to operate. Directions were issued to provide necessary space for bus operators to have their booking office at a reasonable monthly rent.
Justice Sangwan also directed Mohali SSP to file an affidavit regarding arrangements made by the traffic police to ensure plying of all buses from the main bus stand.
It is directed that the affidavit will also reflect that from today onwards till the next date of hearing, if the buses are not plying from the main bus stand, then traffic challans be issued to all erring drivers who are not taking the buses inside the bus stand and the details of the traffic challans be also given along with the affidavit.