Over two months after Punjab Cooperation Minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh died in a car crash on National Highway-95 in Kharar on March 29, Patiala Divisional Commissioner Jasbir Singh Bir has held the officials of Public Works Department (PWD) responsible for committing criminal negligence by not take corrective steps to avoid fatal accidents on the “death trap”. 

Chairing a special meeting of civil and police officials of Mohali district here on Friday evening, Bir directed Deputy Commissioner Prabhjot Singh Mand to fix responsibility of PWD officials concerned and recommend stern action against them in a report to PWD Principal Secretary. 

Bir expressed concern that the T-point at Khanpur village in Kharar, where Capt Kanwaljit met his end, had witnessed several fatal accidents in the past but despite his clear-cut instructions issued soon after the Minister’s accident, the PWD officials have not yet started work on constructing a divider or making any other alteration at the deep curve dissecting the busy highway towards Kharar Civil Hospital. 

The Commissioner also asked National Highways Chief Engineer J S Sandhu to submit a report within 15 days regarding how much work on fixing speed breakers and traffic lights has been completed within the Patiala division as per the guidelines of the Union Ministry of Surface Transport and Indian Road Congress. 

Agreeing with the report put forth by Senior Superintendent of Police Jatinder Singh Aulakh on the dire need of four-laning the remaining part of the Kharar-Mohali stretch on National Highway-21, which has assumed the distinction of the “killer stretch”, Bir assured to take up the matter with the state government for procuring necessary approval for the project.  

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