City-based social and environmental activist Tejasvi Minhas has filed a formal complaint with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) over the neglected condition of the Chaheru Bridge on NH-44 (formerly NH-1).
Terming the current state of the bridge an imminent danger to thousands of daily commuters, Minhas highlighted a severe lack of safety infrastructure on one of India’s busiest highway corridors, which connects Delhi, Punjab, Jammu and Amritsar.
According to the complaint, substantial portions of the bridge lacked proper side crash barriers, guard rails and parapet protection for several years — despite being located on a high-speed, heavily trafficked and notoriously accident-prone stretch.
Apart from the NHAI, the complaint has been escalated to the Chief Minister of Punjab, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), and local administration, including the Deputy Commissioner, Police Commissioner, and Municipal Corporation of Jalandhar.
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‘Plastic posts cannot stop a plunging vehicle’
Minhas strongly criticised the authorities’ makeshift approach to commuter safety on the bridge. “Shockingly, instead of installing proper reinforced crash barriers capable of preventing vehicles from falling off the bridge, the authorities have merely installed plastic traffic delineator posts along the edge at several locations,” Minhas stated in his complaint. “These posts are only visual markers. They are completely incapable of stopping a car, bus, truck or two-wheeler from plunging below.”
The complaint further argues that the bridge’s current state violates — The Motor Vehicles Act, Indian Roads Congress (IRC) safety standards, MoRTH bridge safety specifications and Article 21 of the Constitution of India (The constitutional obligation to protect human life).
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Key questions raised in complaint
Minhas has demanded answers from the administration on several critical fronts that include — Why have permanent repairs and restoration been delayed for years?; have mandatory structural inspections and maintenance audits actually been conducted?; which specific agencies are responsible for this maintenance lapse?; and why were prior safety warnings ignored, forcing commuters to risk their lives daily?
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Demands immediate action
The activist is seeking an immediate overhaul of the bridge’s infrastructure, calling for — Infrastructure upgrades: Installation of heavy-duty crash barriers, side railings, hazard markings, proper illumination and speed-calming systems.
Accountability: A comprehensive structural audit, the public disclosure of past inspection records and a departmental inquiry to fix accountability for the prolonged inaction.
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“My complaint isn’t centered on cosmetic issues. These lapses are life-threatening,” Minhas said, while adding, “Thousands of commuters use this highway daily and their safety cannot depend on plastic posts. The authorities must act before another major tragedy occurs.”