Rs 3.8-cr RuB proposed for Janta Nagar

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Advertisement

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 1

The Public Works Department (PWD) has prepared Rs 3.84 crore estimate for the construction of a low-height railway-under-bridge (RuB) on the Bathinda-Ferozpur section along the Sirhind canal at Janta Nagar in the city.

At present, there is a temporary passage beneath the railway track.

The XEN (PWD) has sent the estimate to Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal for approval and has demanded funds for the project.

He has stated that there was no proposal or approval from the government to build the RuB here, but due to the demand raised by councillor Gurmeet Kaur and seeing the public inconvenience, chief engineer (PWD), in a letter, had issued instructions to find permanent solution to the issue.

It has also been stated that this area comes under the Municipal Corporation and the Railway Department.

Earlier, councillor Gurmeet Kaur had written a letter to the Prime Minister stating that in her area, below the Bathinda-Firozepur rail track, there is a narrow route through which only two-wheelers and small cars can pass.

Ambulance and other big vehicles face problems while passing from the passage as the gap between road and the railway track is just 4.5 feet.

PMO official Bramh Ram had written a letter to the secretary, Ministry of Railways, and directing him to take action in this case.

The Railway Ministry further marked it to the DRM Firozpur, after which, divisional engineers asked the state government to mention the requirement for the railway-under-bridge and railway-over-bridge.

Councillor Gurmeet Kaur said she had discussed the RuB estimate with CPS Sarup Chand Singla and he had assured that he would take up the matter with the Deputy Chief Minister.

She said there were around 10,000 people living in Janta Nagar and this area was surrounded by railway tracks from three sides and Sirhind canal on the fourth side, and there was no route for big vehicle to pass through this area.

The government had built RuB at Mansa road, which had always created a problem for the commuters during rainy season due to water-logging.

Making another RuB is raising a serious question on the planning of government officials.