Darjeeling, Sept. 14 -- The pathetic condition of the road connecting Sivitar to the National Highway at Mahanadi forced students to skip school on Monday. The condition of several stretches of the road has now deteriorated to the extent that driving has become a life threat.
Between 7 and 7.30 am on Monday, an Eco van carrying students from Sivitar to Kurseong broke down at a bend above Zero in Sivitar, after nearly meeting with an accident. The vehicle came to a halt in the middle of the road, bringing vehicles behind it to a standstill. "Owing to the poor condition of the road, the vehicle broke down, forcing other vehicles, including ambulances and passenger vehicles, to come to a standstill on this narrow road," stated Asish Rai, president, Sivitar Drivers' Association. He stated that repeated requests to the concerned authorities had fallen on deaf ears.
Other drivers worked together to repair the vehicle and move it aside, but the process continued beyond 9 am. As a result, vehicles carrying students could not reach their destinations on time, and all the students were forced to return home.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.