Stuck in rush hour? Blame it on UT administration

This despite UT Administrator Shivraj Patil’s recommendation for better traffic management through a ban on the movement of heavy vehicles during peak hours. Chandigarh Police has even requested that trucks should not be allowed to ply during morning rush hour but to no avail.

While UT Home Secretary Ram Niwas said the “issue is under consideration and various modalities are being worked out”,commuters feel the UT Administration is not doing enough. They have sought a ban on trucks’ movement from 8 to 10 am and 4 to 7 pm.

Newsline spoke to few drivers employed by government and private hospitals who often have to transport patients from Panchkula to PGI,Chandigarh,and have to wade through traffic jam.

“Sometimes we need to transfer the patients to PGI on an emergency basis. It generally takes 15 minutes to reach PGI from Panchkula. Blame it on the traffic jam,we are invariably stuck,especially near the housing board light point for over half an hour,” said Satbir Singh,an ambulance driver of Alchemist Hospital in Sector 21,Panchkula. He suggested making the service lanes exclusive for the movement of ambulances,police jeeps and fire tenders.

Another driver,Subhash,working with General Hospital,Sector 6 in Panchkula,said,“Some action needs to be taken with immediate effect so that no harm is caused to patients who need to be immediately shifted to emergency department”.