A bumpy ride for commuters on two key bridges on Hindon Canal

GHAZIABAD: Thousands of commuters have a back-breaking experience on a daily basis on two of the three bridges on the Hindon Canal, which separates the trans-Hindon areas of Vaishali and Vasundhara from Indirapuram.
Commuters using them are up against the precariously broken road, the dangerously uneven gradient and the dusty track. The shambolic bridges are located between Vaishali sectors 5 & 6 and Indirapuram, and between Vaishali Sector 4 and Indirapuram.The Kanavani culvert connects Vasundhara and Indirapuram and is not used by many commuters.
Priyanka Mishra of Vaishali Sector 6 said one needed immense courage to go on these culvert bridges. “You dare not take a cycle-rickshaw on these bridges as chances are that the poor rickshawpuller leaves his rickshaw midway with you on board because of the unmanageable steep climb,” she said.
Recalling an episode when she and her six-year-old son had a providential escape after a rickshawpuller left the vehicle in the middle of the bridge while attempting a climb towards Vaishali, Priyanka said, “My rickshaw veered backwards, scaring the hell out of me before coming to a halt after hitting a two-wheeler.”
Residents have been complaining for quite some time about the way in which these bridges are built as there is a difference of eight feet between the road and the bridge.
Ajay Sinha, a resident, said, “If you stand in the middle of the bridge and look at the road on either side, you will get the impression of standing atop a hillock.”
But the gradient is not the only problem commuters face day in, day out. Due to poor maintenance of the road, the entire stretch is dotted with potholes and traps unsuspecting bikers and motorists.
But civic agencies remain oblivious to the commuters’ problems. “Given the topography of the area, such bridges are normally constrained by some engineering parameters of planning and execution and there is nothing one can do about it,” GDA executive engineer Kaptan Singh said.
“As far as maintenance of these bridges is concerned, we carry out maintenance on the Indirapuram side regularly,” Singh said. The Vaishali part of the bridges comes under GMC.
GMC officials could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts. But mayor Teluram Kamboj said, “We have taken note of it and will ask the GMC to do whatever possible to make these bridges safe.”