Chheharta crossing closures cause chaos

The frequent closure of the level crossing in Chheharta has become a major inconvenience for residents and devotees visiting the historic Chheharta Sahib Gurdwara and Guru Ki Wadali village. The repeated closures result in severe traffic jams, making daily commuting a frustrating experience.

Residents are peeved with both the Punjab Government and the district administration for failing to come up with a viable solution to the persistent problem. The issue affects not only the locals but also a large number of devotees who visit these historic sites located across the level crossing.

Gurlal Singh, a resident of Guru Ki Wadali, pointed out that the railway crossing remains closed for long durations which leads to severe traffic congestion. He added that encroachments by shopkeepers and the lack of traffic sense among commuters worsen the situation.

“Driving on the 1.5-km stretch from Chheharta Chowk to the historic gurdwara has become a commuter’s nightmare, especially when the level crossing is closed,” said Kirpal Singh of Kartar Nagar, which lies along the stretch.

At present, summer vacations are on, but when the schools are functioning, the road experiences even heavier traffic, particularly during the morning and evening hours when people head to work and return home. When the crossing is closed during these peak hours, the crossing the road becomes nothing less than a nightmare.

Kanwaljit Singh, a shopkeeper and local communist leader, said the road connects a number of villages on the outskirts of the city. Apart from this, a large number of devotees from Amritsar and across Punjab visit the historic Chheharta Sahib Gurdwara and Guru Ki Wadali, which are associated with Guru Hargobind. This leads to massive traffic chaos on the stretch during religious events, he added.

Additionally, the road sees heavy truck traffic during the harvesting season. Hundreds of trucks transport grain to and from three warehouses located on the Dhand-Kasel road. These are moved via the Chheharta railway station.

While there have been proposals to construct a flyover, local business owners oppose the idea, fearing loss of business. Instead, the residents have suggested the construction of a bypass for trucks that would lead to the railway station from the rear side of the gurdwara.

The residents have also urged the administration to regulate the traffic on the stretch to help alleviate the frequent traffic jams.

Amritsar