7 yrs on, Sirsa awaits ROB, rail underpass

Anil Kakkar

Sirsa, April 10

Around seven years ago, the Haryana Public Works Department (Building and Roads) had approved the construction of a railway underpass and an overbridge (ROB) at Bal Bhawan Road and Chattargarh Patti. However, construction work has not commenced so far. Locals and commuters face a lot of inconvenience due to frequent closure of railway level crossings.

Commuters have to either wait for hours at the level crossings, or choose alternative routes.

Navya, an undergraduate student at local Government Girls’ College, said traffic jams are a daily affair during summers. One has to wait for two to three trains to pass, and it takes half an hour more if one has to cross the main bridge to reach one’s destination, the student said.

Sumit Chaudhary, a local resident, emphasised the urgent need for a railway underpass and overbridge to facilitate easier commuting. The frequent closure of railway level crossings inconveniences people, especially during summers when many educational institutions have midday breaks, and students need to cross these crossings to go home.

Meanwhile, on the Bal Bhawan Road, where the railway station is located, from 20,000 to 25,000 vehicles pass through the crossing daily. Due to its proximity to the railway station, trains pass at a slower pace there, and the railway crossing remains closed for 10 to 15 minutes.

The railway crossing at Chattargarh Patti, situated on the Mini Bypass, also closes frequently, causing great inconvenience to drivers arriving from the city outskirts. This road was constructed to facilitate the movement of vehicles from the outer areas, but the closure of the railway crossing exacerbates the situation. Chaudhary Devi Lal University is also located on this road, resulting in heavy traffic there.

The estimate to construct the underpass and overbridge has been pegged at around Rs 25 crore each. The projects have been prepared by PWD B&R, and estimates for the underpass have been submitted to the department. A file has been sent to the Railways for approval of the overbridge, after which work will commence.

Sirsa PWD B&R XEN Sanjay Sabharwal said the approval for the construction of an underpass at the railway level crossing on Bal Bhawan Road has been received, but the nod for its design and drawings is awaited. Similarly, an overbridge is to be constructed at Chattargarh Patti railway crossing and the approval for the same is pending. Sabharwal said, “There is no delay from our side. As soon the approval is received, we will initiate the work by issuing a tender.”

Railways nod pending

There is no delay from our side. As soon as the approvals are received from the Railways, we will initiate the work by issuing a tender. — Sanjay Sabharwal, sirsa pwd b&r xen