Notice to govt over new Sutlej bridge

Ropar, September 1

Jasbir Kaur, Additional Civil Judge, Senior Division, has issued a notice over the opening of a newly built Sutlej bridge to the state government for September 7. The case has been filed by local advocate and RTI activist Dinesh Chadha.

Chadha had pleaded for the issuance of directions to the government to open the bridge for vehicular traffic and stop the government from organising any ceremony for its inauguration.

The 982-metre-long bridge, which is a part of the Ropar bypass, has been constructed on the Sutlej and the Bist Doab canal at a cost of Rs 64 crore. While the work on the bypass is almost complete, the entry at the bridge has been barred.

Chadha in his application said he approached the office of Xen, PWD, B&R at Ropar, where one of the officials told him that the bridge would only be opened after a minister or an MLA inaugurated it.

He claimed that here were no such norms or laws stating that only an MLA or minister could inaugurate roads, bridges, buildings or other such projects. — TNS