Drive from Amritsar bus stand to Hussainpura Chowk a test of endurance
Distance between the bus stand and Hussainpura Chowk is 500 metres but the journey takes around 15 to 20 minutes to cover the stretch due to frequent traffic jams caused by auto-rickshaws picking and dropping passengers.
The journey not only tests driving skills but also tests patience and endurance levels. Frequent traffic jams in the area are being witnessed for the past many years. In order to streamline the flow of vehicles, the traffic police had carved out a separate road for auto-rickshaws earlier this year.
Frequenttraffic jams
Distance between the bus stand and Hussainpura Chowk is 500 metres but the journey takes around 15 to 20 minutes to cover the stretch due to frequent traffic jams caused by auto-rickshaws picking and dropping passengers.
The purpose of the separate lane was to let other vehicles cross without the road being blocked by an auto-rickshaw driver waiting for passengers. However, the lane is seldom used by auto-rickshaw drivers as they prefer the main road.
Even at Hussainpura Chowk, auto-rickshaws and private buses wait for a long time to get more passengers. While auto-rickshaw drivers compete with each other to get passengers, they drive rashly and often cause traffic snarls in the area.
Sarwan Singh, a commuter, said: “The police must take action against erring drivers who cause traffic jams. Each rickshaw stops for five to 10 minutes to wait for passengers. Meanwhile they are not bothered regarding the disruption they are causing.”
The residents stated that the traffic police must ensure that auto-rickshaw drivers use the separate lane. “The number of auto-rickshaws in the city has increased many folds during the past few years. Most of the drivers do not care about other commuters and stop anywhere to pick or drop a passenger,” complained another commuter Gurjeet Kaur.
