Commuters using Mall Road near Bharat Nagar Chowk are facing a safety risk after the municipal corporation (MC) demolished a boundary wall for a road expansion project but left the newly added stretch unfinished and without warning signs or barricades.The newly added portion remains at a lower level than the existing road, leading to possibility of accidents. (HT File)The road expansion is part of a project aimed at easing congestion at the busy Bharat Nagar Chowk intersection, where Mall Road narrows for around 50 to 100 metres. Traffic bottlenecks have become a regular problem on the stretch, particularly after the installation of traffic signals at the junction.To improve traffic flow, the MC plans to construct a slip road connecting traffic moving from Mall Road and Ferozepur Road towards Jagraon Bridge. The expansion is being carried out on land belonging to the Sewage Board, which earlier housed a residential quarter complex.The corporation first constructed a wall within the complex to demarcate the portion of land to be acquired for the project. On May 4, it demolished the outer boundary wall and incorporated the area into the road. However, construction work on the proposed slip road has not yet begun.The newly added portion remains at a lower level than the existing road, posing a risk to motorists, particularly at night. Commuters fear vehicles could inadvertently veer into the uneven stretch, leading to accidents.Adding to the concern is the absence of barricades, warning signs or reflective markers at the site to alert road users about the hazard. When contacted, superintending engineer, buildings and roads cell, MC, Sham Lal Gupta said, “We will start the work on the road soon.”He said the civic body is currently obtaining the necessary permissions to remove at least two trees located within the proposed road area. An electricity pole standing on the acquired land will also have to be relocated before construction can begin. The project forms part of the city’s World Class Roads initiative, although no timeline for its completion has been announced so far.Road safety expert and member of the Punjab State Road Safety Council, Rahul Verma, said the site poses a serious risk to commuters. “This is a clear safety hazard. It can lead to major accidents..” he said.