Gurbaxpuri Tarn Taran November 17 Travelling had never been more convenient and smooth for residents of Lauhka Khabbe Rajputan Naushehra Pannuan and other villages four years back in September with the construction of the ATTS road. But the joy was short-lived. Just over a year had passed when the first few cracks started surfacing in the 8.18-km long course and today it is streaked with potholes and cracks at every few meters. The residents have been vocal enough about the flimsy work carried out at the time of construction which dates back to December 2013 but the woes seem unable to strike their ears. Constructed at a cost of Rs6.58 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) the road links Naushehra Panuan to Lauhka village situated on the Tarn Taran-Patti road. Being part of the national highway No. 54 it caters to people of many border area villages making it feasible to have an easy approach to the Malwa belt and Amritsar with the Doaba belt. "After a year of the completion work the road broke at several places" said Malkiat Singh Sarpanch of Khabbe Rajputan village. They raised the issue with the authorities and efforts from areas MLA Harminder Singh Gill some patch work was possible. However as the toll plaza at Usman village came up so did the number of trucks private buses and other heavy-duty vehicles frequenting the route. Soon it was again time for locals to fasten their seatbelts and brace for a turbulent ride as the road cracked at several points. Taking note of the pitiful condition the residents of Khabbe Rajputan village even staged a dharna on the road for days to block the passing of the undue heavy-duty vehicles. "The passing of the heavy-duty vehicles of the Rana Sugar Mills Lauhka were also responsible for rotting of the road…and our travails" residents of the area said. Daljit Singh Sarpanch of Lauhka and Malkiat Singh Sarpanch of Khabbe Rajputan village have demanded for the early repair of the road as the fixed five- year term has not been expired under the PMGSY scheme.

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