Govt’s nod to elevated bridge for connecting sectors

Sanjay Bumbroo

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, February 16 

To give relief to residents of Sectors 12/12A and 20/21 from daily traffic jams the Haryana Government has approved the design of an elevated bridge to connect sectors directly.

The Public Works Department (PWD) had planned to construct a flyover and two footbridges at the cost of Rs 100 crore to facilitate the movement of traffic from Sectors 12/12-A to the area across the Zirakpur-Kalka National Highway No. 5.

Now, the design has been sent to the state Transport Department and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for further approval of the project. Once these two departments give their formal approval tenders will be floated for the project. 

Sharing this information, Vishal Seth, technical adviser to the Haryana Government said, “The government has approved the project. In recent past, flyovers have been constructed on the highway to facilitate smooth flow of traffic. These flyovers have made it inconvenient for the people to travel across sectors located on both sides of the national highway.” 

“As there is no entry point from the Sector 12/12-A road, residents of Sector 21 and 20 have to travel 2 km to 3 km extra to reach their homes,” he added. 

As the PWD had planned an elevated bridge over the National Highway No. 22 so, it was necessary for the department to seek approval of the National Highway Authority, he said. 

“I will try to get approval from the NHAI so that the work on the project can be started soon as possible. We have hired the services of consultant GL Verma for this project, who prepared the design and sent it to the Haryana Government, for its approval,” he added. 

“The government has accorded its approval for the project,” he said. 

Around three months ago, local MLA Gian Chand Gupta had raised the connectivity issue with Union Minister of Road and Surface Transport Nitin Gadkari. The Minister had directed officials of the NHAI to find a solution to problems being faced by the people of the area. 

“Some additional provisions like providing a U-turn for Zirakpur and enabling uninterrupted movement of traffic coming from Punjab to Himachal Pradesh and vice-versa have also been incorporated in the design,” said Seth.