Reconsider tunnel project for airport, UT asks Haryana

Ramkrishan Upadhyay
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 4

The UT Administration has requested Haryana to reconsider its decision of abandoning the underground tunnel project for an alternative shorter route to the Chandigarh international airport at Mohali. The issue was raised at a high-level meeting of the Tricity Coordination Committee that was chaired by VP Singh Badnore, Punjab Governor and UT Administrator, here today.

The committee discussed several issues related to the tricity. UT officials raised the issue of a shorter route to the airport. Haryana was requested to reconsider its decision of saying no to the project owing to its high cost. The meeting proposed that the cost of the project, around Rs 1,217 crore, should be shared by the UT, Punjab and Haryana.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) prepared a detailed project report for the tunnel project on behalf of the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The proposed route was to cut down the distance for people commuting to the airport from Chandigarh and Panchkula. However, Haryana had conveyed its inability to be a part of the project due to its high cost. The DMRC had estimated the cost of the project at around Rs 1,217 crore.

The meeting was attended by Keshni Anand Arora, Chief Secretary, Haryana, Karan Avtar Singh, Chief Secretary, Punjab, Manoj Parida, UT Adviser, and other senior officials of the UT Administration, Punjab and Haryana.

Punjab, Haryana agree to expedite ring road project

Punjab and Haryana agreed to expedite the proposal for a ring road to decongest Chandigarh. It was also suggested at the meeting to restrict the entry of diesel-operated vehicles, including auto-rickshaws, into the city.

The UT DIG suggested mandatory introduction of QR Code of each vehicle.

The Administrator stressed the need for sharing intelligence and frequent meetings of the traffic committees. The DGP, Haryana, stressed the need for collective efforts to tackle the problem of human trafficking and cheating by finance companies. He suggested the implementation of the “tricity nakabandi” plan.