136 structures, 3K trees come in way of Ambala-Saha NH 4-laning

Nitin Jain

Tribune News Service

Ambala, June 14

The already delayed four-laning of the Ambala-Saha National Highway 444-A has hit another roadblock, with at least 136 concrete structures and more than 3,000 full grown trees coming in its way.

The work on the much-awaited project to decongest the busy Ambala-Saha stretch of the highway was resumed last month after remaining stalled for almost two months following the national lockdown.

At a review meeting here today, Home Minister Anil Vij was told that 136 concrete structures and 3,000 trees needed to be removed to pave the way for the four-laning project.

The structures that were coming in the way included a civil hospital, GPO, circuit house, few properties of the Cantonment Board and several schools, besides private-owned buildings.

While over 9,000 trees had already been felled, 3,000 more trees were yet to be axed. Vij directed the district administration and the officials of all other departments concerned to ensure early clearance of the hinderances coming in the way to speed-up the ongoing work.

He asked the construction firm to press into service its full resources to ensure the early completion of the already delayed project.

The firm officials told the minister that over 25 per cent of the work had already been completed.

As per the plan, the agency would undertake work on constructing bridges over Tangri and Omla rivers before the onset of monsoon season when the tributaries of Tangri river are in spate.

The rehabilitation and upgradation to four-lane with paved shoulder for the 14.84-km-long Ambala to Saha section of the NH 444-A was being undertaken under the Bharatmala Pariyojna by the National Highways Authority of India at a cost of Rs220 crore.