Day-long traffic jam on Pathankot-Mandi highway revives demand for Baijnath bypass
A day-long traffic jam on the busy Pathankot-Mandi National Highway passing through Baijnath and Paprola towns caused severe inconvenience to residents and commuters on Saturday, once again highlighting the urgent need for the long-pending Baijnath bypass.
Thousands of motorists remained stranded for hours as long queues of vehicles stretched from Taragarh to Ghatta. Traffic crawled throughout the day, affecting office-goers, students, local residents and other daily commuters.
The situation was further aggravated by the apparent lack of traffic management. Despite the massive congestion, commuters alleged that there was little police presence to regulate vehicle movement in Baijnath and Paprola, worsening the gridlock.
Residents said they had never witnessed such a severe traffic jam in the past and expressed concern over the increasing frequency of congestion on the highway. Public transport buses, school vehicles and even emergency services were reportedly caught in the traffic snarl.
Residents said the growing volume of traffic passing through the two towns has made congestion a routine problem, disrupting normal life and causing hardship to commuters.
According to locals, the proposed bypass would divert through-traffic away from the congested town centres, significantly reducing travel time and easing pressure on the existing highway. They pointed out that while traffic on the Pathankot-Mandi highway had increased manifold over the years, the bypass project remains pending.
“People are forced to spend hours in traffic jams almost every day. The government should expedite the construction of the Baijnath bypass to provide relief from the worsening traffic situation,” said a resident.
Residents also voiced concern over rising air and noise pollution caused by prolonged traffic congestion in densely populated areas. They said recurring jams were adversely affecting business activity and public health.
The residents have urged the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the state government to accord top priority to the bypass project and ensure its early execution. They believe that the bypass is the only long-term solution to the chronic traffic congestion in Baijnath and Paprola and will provide much-needed relief to thousands of daily commuters.
