Motorists are found routinely violating the one-way traffic restriction at the Sarabha Nagar road underbridge (RUB) and the lax enforcement by the traffic police has turned the stretch into a potential accident spot.Violations galore at Pakhowal road underbridge in Ludhiana. (HT Photo)The underbridge is designated for traffic travelling from Pakhowal Road towards Sarabha Nagar. However, motorists heading towards Pakhowal Road and Model Town Extension continue to use it, violating the prominent ‘one way only’ sign installed at the Sarabha Nagar entrance.According to activist Rahul Verma, a member of the Punjab State Traffic Safety Council, violations continue unchecked even though several traffic police checkpoints operate in the vicinity.“The Sarabha Nagar RUB is one of two underbridges built to streamline traffic movement on Pakhowal Road. While one underbridge carries traffic entering the city after the canal, the other serves vehicles coming from the Model Town area, emerging near Sacred Heart School before joining Pakhowal Road close to Hero Bakery Chowk,” he said.He said the two underbridges were designed to function as one-way carriageways, with a crossover in the middle allowing motorists travelling in the same direction to switch between the two routes without taking the longer route via Malhar Road.According to Verma, the system works only if motorists adhere to the designated direction of travel. However, frequent wrong-side driving has defeated the purpose of the design and created a serious road safety hazard.“The underbridge curves in the middle, restricting visibility of oncoming traffic. A motorist cannot see vehicles approaching from the opposite direction until the last moment. It is an accident waiting to happen,” he said.The two underbridges converge midway, where the municipal corporation has installed traffic cones to separate the carriageways. However, motorists have created gaps in the temporary divider and are frequently seen switching lanes at the crossover, further increasing the risk of accidents.Verma suggested replacing the temporary cones with permanent barriers to prevent unauthorised lane changes and ensure compliance with the one-way system.He also called for strict enforcement against motorists violating the one-way restriction, including issuing challans for dangerous driving.“Driving on the wrong side at such locations is not merely a traffic violation; it endangers the lives of other road users. Strict enforcement is essential to deter such behaviour,” he said.When contacted additional deputy commissioner of police (Traffic) Gurpreet Kaur Purewal said, “We will look into the matter.”