3 years on, work begins on dismantled lane in Panipat

Tribune News Service

Mukesh Tandon

Panipat, April 24

Hundreds of commuters and shopkeepers have been facing problems due to the delay in construction of one side of the Panipat-Barsat road, which was lying dismantled for the last three years.

Though the department has now started work on the road, people are questioning why interlocking tiles are being used instead of bitumen.

WORK TO BE COMPLETED IN A MONTH

The drains on the roadside overflow and inundate the main road, due to which a bitumen road would not be successful here, that’s why interlocking tiles are being used... It is expected that the work would be completed within a month. — Praveen Kumar, SDO, PWD (B&R)

The Public Works Department (PWD) had last allotted the work for the construction of four lanes on the Barsat road in 2018. However, after the work was done, due to waterlogging during rains, the Municipal Corporation (MC) uprooted one side of the road to lay sever lines around four years ago after getting the approval from the PWD.

The MC laid sewer lines from Noorwala to Bichpadi village in the first phase. In the second phase, in November 2021, the MC laid sewers from Bichpadi village to Bhainswal Chowk but the road was not constructed. The sewerage was ultimately laid up to the 25-MLD sewage treatment plant (STP) on the Barsat road. But even after the laying of the sewerage, the road was neither constructed by the PWD nor the MC in the last two years. Due to this, resentment was brewing among people.

A senior-level officer in the MC, on the condition of anonymity, said the MC had deposited Rs 1.5 crore with the PWD around two years ago and on its demand again, the MC had deposited Rs 1.7 crore more around one year ago. “The construction of the road is the responsibility of the PWD,” the official said.

Due to dusty roads, the people in the area have been living in poor conditions for the last two years. Shopkeepers in the area are facing huge losses.

Madan Lal Majoka, former councillor, said the road was constructed in 2018 but in 2019, one side of the road was dismantled for laying of sewage lines.

He said the road should be constructed with bitumen as it was a main road which connected scores of villages and the Noorwala area. “But the PWD is using interlocking tiles for the stretch, which does not even look good,” he said.

Surbhi Sharma, an advocate, said originally the Barsat road was constructed in 1960 by the PWD without the acquisition of land and without giving any compensation to farmers. The matter had gone to the court and the court had also given the decree in the favour of farmers in 2017. But, still the farmers didn’t get any compensation. “Besides, one lane of the road was dismantled three-four years ago. Several accidents occurred on this road due to potholes. Now, the department has started the construction of the road by using interlocking tiles, which is unfortunate,” Surbhi said.

Residents said it was one of the busiest roads of the city as people of Sectors 13, 17 and 18, besides those of Ansal, Hari Singh Colony, Tehsil Camp, Noorwala, Dhamija Colony, Nizampur, Khotpura, Bhainswal, Ajizullapur and other several colonies were using this road on a daily basis.

Praveen Kumar, SDO, PWD (B&R), said the construction of the road was started around 10-12 days ago. “The drains on the roadside overflow and inundate the main road, due to which a bitumen road would not be successful here, that’s why interlocking tiles are being used. A tender of around Rs 1.6 crore has been approved for the construction of one side of the road,” he said. It is expected that the work would be completed within a month, he claimed.

He said the other side of the road would be made with bitumen and the estimate had been sent to headquarters for approval.

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