Zirakpur: Ghaggar flyover likely to be opened in January

Tribune News Service

Zirakpur, December 11

One of the two flyovers under construction in Zirakpur will be made operational in January next year, said officials of the district administration. Massive snarl-ups are witnessed every day near the construction sites during the morning and evening hours.

While the flyover near the Ghaggar bridge is likely to be thrown open to public in January, the other one near the Singhpura chowk is expected to be completed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in April, said the officials of the authority.

Mohali Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain said officials of the district administration were regularly reviewing the progress of the flyover projects. The flyover near the Ghaggar bridge is almost complete with ramps on both sides having been constructed and slabs put up. The ramp from the Zirakpur to Dera Bassi side has been metalled but levelling work on the Dera Bassi-Zirakpur side is still going on.

The slabs of the second flyover near the Singhpura chowk have been laid and foundation work on both sides of the ramp is in initial stages. Officials said it might take around four months before both flyovers, being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 43.28 crore, are made operational. The stipulated 18-month deadline for both projects ended in November 2023.

Meanwhile, the Bhankharpur light point has emerged as a new chokepoint on the stretch.

After the two flyovers are made operational, it is expected that the movement of vehicle towards Delhi would be hassle-free on a signal-free corridor from Chandigarh to Dera Bassi.

At present, traffic moves at a snail’s pace, taking more than 20 minutes to cross the 2-km stretch in the morning and evening hours. On rainy days, the traffic situation on the stretch becomes worse with severe waterlogging at several places. Jatin Mahajan, a resident of Zirakpur, said, “Ambulances get stuck in traffic snarls for half an hour. The traffic situation turns worse in the morning and evening rush hours. There is utter chaos on Saturday evenings.”

It remains to be seen whether snarl-ups on the Zirakpur-Shimla road, Patiala chowk and the VIP Road get mitigated with the opening of the two flyovers.

Responding to a request by NHAI officials with regard to removing illegal parking on the highway in Ziarkpur, the Deputy Commissioner stated they would take up the matter with the district police to redress the issue as early as possible.

Singhpura chowk project to be ready by April

The NHAI began the construction of the two flyovers on the Chandigarh-Ambala highway near Zirakpur in July 2022. While 18-month stipulated deadline ended in November, work on both projects is likely to be completed by April. The NHAI proposes a signal-free corridor from Chandigarh to Dera Bassi. The Bhankharpur light point has emerged as a new chokepoint on the stretch.

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