Vikal Sharma
Palampur: Regular commuters and local residents are voicing growing concerns over a potentially hazardous traffic point along the Palampur bypass in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh where the absence of proper traffic signal arrangements and vehicle management has turned the area into what many describe as an “invitation to accidents.”
According to daily commuters, the stretch has become increasingly risky due to the uncontrolled flow of high-speed vehicles from multiple directions. “Buses coming down from Palampur rush at high speeds, and at the same time, vehicles heading upward from the opposite direction too move fast. There’s no proper system to manage this chaos,” said a local shopkeeper who travels through the bypass daily.
High-speed movement and congestion creating chaos
Adding to the risk, vehicles coming from Pachrukhi towards Palampur often face bottlenecks at the junction. Residents say that due to congestion and lack of coordination, vehicles are often forced to take turns to navigate the spot safely. Even two-wheelers zip through at dangerously high speeds, contributing to the overall disorder.
“There are moments when we feel something terrible could happen at any time,” said Preeti, a college student who waits near the point every morning to catch her bus. “We’ve seen near-miss accidents so many times that it’s now a part of our daily commute anxiety.”
Call for immediate installation of signal lights
Locals are urging the administration to install traffic signal lights and introduce better traffic regulation at the bypass point. Many believe that even simple measures like zebra crossings, warning signs, and traffic police presence during peak hours could drastically reduce the danger.
“This area is used by hundreds of people every day — schoolchildren, office workers and elderly residents. A proper traffic control system here is long overdue,” said Kuldeep, a resident of a nearby village.
Despite repeated appeals from residents, no significant action has been taken so far. With increasing vehicular load on the bypass, citizens fear that a major accident is only a matter of time if corrective steps are not implemented soon.
