Will it beat poll code?

Dera Baba Nanak, February 4

The question in the minds of stakeholders is whether the construction of the proposed Dera Baba Nanak-Kartarpur Sahib corridor beats the impending election code or not, if the tardy progress is any barometer.

Sources say the EC could announce the schedule of the General Election in the last week of February or March first week. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), the agency engaged by the Union Government to oversee the project, is left facing severe time constraints.

The NHAI has already entrusted Dera Baba Nanak SDM Ashok Sharma for land acquisition. The officer has prepared maps of land that has to be taken over for the 4.25-km road.

“This process will be completed in a few days after which tenders will be floated. Once the first spade is dug, the EC’s code will be ineffective as it can’t halt ongoing projects,” said an officer engaged in land acquisition.

The venture is divided into two parts — the building of the road and the Integrated Check Post (ICP). With the formalities for laying the road almost complete and work likely to commence in mid-February, all eyes are on the ICP and whether its construction would beat the code.

If at all the work is stalled, it would resume only in June after the new government assumes power. Sources say if this happens, the corridor may not see the light of the day at least not before the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak kick off in November. — TNS