Patna-Ara road: Drivers doze off, people suffer – Times of India
Ara: The Patna-Ara-Chhapra road, a crucial artery for commuters and transporters alike, continues to be plagued by severe traffic jams. The problem, which seems insurmountable, is compounded by a surprising culprit — sleeping drivers.
During a visit to Koilwar police station on Friday, the personnel on duty recounted the challenges of managing the unrelenting chaos. “Despite the combined efforts of the district mining department, transport department and police personnel to ease the jams, some truck drivers park their vehicles haphazardly and fall asleep,” a senior officer, speaking anonymously, said. “It takes us three to four minutes to wake them up and move their vehicles into designated lanes. Worse, some drivers leave their trucks in the middle of the road to attend to nature’s call, forcing us to clear the jam they create,” he added, frustration evident in his tone.
The problem is not confined to unruly drivers. The slow progress of road construction, particularly on the Koilwar-Chhapra road near Babura under Barhara police station in Bhojpur district, is another major contributor. “This is one of the main reasons for the slow movement of traffic,” admitted another police personnel on duty.
Efforts by the authorities to tackle the situation have yielded limited results. Bhojpur SP Raj recently took to X, saying that senior officers have been instructed to remain present round the clock to manage traffic on the Koilwar-Bihta and Koilwar-Chhapra roads. “Last week alone, Rs 18 lakh in fines were collected in just three days from vehicles driving in the wrong lane,” Raj wrote in his post.
However, these measures have done little to alleviate the frustration of those caught in the jams, particularly truck drivers. Mohan, a truck driver stuck in a recent jam on the Koilwar bridge, said, “Sometimes, we are stuck for more than 24 hours. When our challan expires because of the jam, the police impose fines on us for no fault of ours. It is unfair.”
These jams also pose a grave risk to emergency services. Ambulances, school buses and other critical vehicles are often stranded, causing potential life-threatening delays. Chhotuji, a driver from Ara, said, “In emergencies, we have to take detours to reach Patna, wasting precious time that could save a patient’s life.”
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