Work on construction of PGI-Panjab University underpass to begin in October

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, August 14

The much-awaited pedestrian underpass between Panjab University (PU) and the PGI will finally see the light of day.

The UT Engineering Department has finalised a consultant to prepare a report on structural stability and detailed estimates for the underpass within a month. An official said the work on the Rs 7 crore project was likely to start in October and would be completed within nine months.

Last month, the department had invited bids for hiring a consultant to prepare a report on structural stability and submit drawings and detailed estimates for the underpass.

In September last year, after some minor alterations in the project, the Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee (CHCC) gave its approval to the amended design of the underpass. The project was approved in July last year.

The sewer and storm water pipelines will have to be shifted before starting the construction of the underpass.

In March last year, the CHCC had directed the UT Administration to request the authorities of both institutions to spare small portions of land on their respective premises to facilitate the construction of the entry and exit points of the underpass and to allow more space for pedestrian movement. However, both had turned down the request.

Earlier, it was suggested that both entry and exist points should be on the premises of both institutions so that there would be enough space for buses to pick and drop passengers on both sides of the road. The project design was changed after both institutions refused to spare a 60 sq yd piece of land on their respective premises.

The project will now be constructed on a limited area that falls under the jurisdiction of the Administration, not extending beyond the road.

The project will have 12 shops instead of 20 proposed earlier. The underpass will be 14 metre wide. Due to the paucity of space, there will be no escalator. Only lift will be installed.

In November 2019, then UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore had given in-principle approval to the underpass project after the traffic police flagged the need for it. The road witnesses a heavy rush of patients and attendants.