Panchkula: Half-done Sector 19 railway underpass opened for 'trials'

Amit Bathla

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Panchkula, March 2

The much-delayed Sector 19 railway underpass was thrown open to the public recently for “traffic trials” without completing the work.

While the news of opening of the long-pending project brought relief to Sector 19 residents, its half-done work ensured that the relief didn’t last long. The work on installing the roof and lights is still pending. On a visit to the project, the iron drainage net was also found broken.

According to residents, the authorities hastily declared the underpass open to avoid further embarrassment after they failed to complete the work of the underpass by the February 15 deadline.

After much delay, February 15 was fixed as the deadline for the completion of the project at a meeting chaired by the Haryana Speaker and local MLA Gian Chand Gupta on January 17.

Gupta said the pending work would be completed in two to three days. Once it was done, the inaugural ceremony would be held.

Naresh Nagarg, president of the Sector 19 Market Association, said, “They (authorities) hastily declared the underpass open under pressure from the public. After failing to meet several deadlines, February 15 had been fixed as the latest deadline, which too they failed to meet. To quell public anger, they threw open the project to the public for “traffic trials”. He said the work of the underpass was still incomplete.

“With no lights installed in the tunnel, it is scary to pass through it during the evening hours. One can see people drinking alcohol near the underpass. It can lead to untoward incidents,” Sandeep, a commuter, said.

The railway underpass is one of the two long-pending projects concerning Sector 19. The delay in their completion has virtually isolated sector residents, who take long routes to connect with other parts of the city.

For the railway overbrige on the Chandigarh-Ambala railway line, March 31 is the new deadline.

‘Bid to quell public anger’

They (authorities) hastily declared the underpass open under pressure from the public. After failing to meet several deadlines, February 15 had been fixed as the latest deadline, which too they failed to meet. To quell public anger, they threw open the project to the public for “traffic trials”.Rs — Naresh Nagarg, head, Sec 19 Market Assn, P’kula