Devi Lal’s statue to be shifted for six-lane project

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, December 7

The statue of former deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal, situated near the National Highway-1 on Meerut Chowk, will be shifted about 500 yards back from the present location for the widening of road for the six-lane project.

On the demand of the National Highway Authority of India, a proposal to shift the statue to the backside was sent to the urban local bodies by the administration, said J Ganesan, Deputy Commissioner (DC).

Sources said a proposal was sent in the past to the same department, but was rejected.

The new DC has taken an initiative and sent a fresh proposal through which he has highlighted the problem being faced by commuters plying from Delhi to Chandigarh due to narrow space.

The sources added that the administration had identified and acquired the land for shifting of the statue to a new site. A meeting in this regard was held between officials of the district administration and SOMA company a few days back.

“After approval, the shifting process would be done with full respect without hurting the sentiments of anyone,” said J Ganesan.

It would give relief to commuters and make the journey smooth as the road was narrow near the statue, he added.

It is learnt that under the Panipat-Jalandhar six-lane project, the SOMA company has to construct 16 flyovers in a stretch of around 55 km in the district. In the city’s area, they have to construct seven flyovers, out of which only three have been completed and open to public while other four are still hanging fire. The flyover near Meerut Chowk is also one of them.

The sources added due to the statue, the work on the flyover was stopped.