After missing 6 deadlines, Yamuna bridge set to be inaugurated before elections

Bijendra Ahlawat

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Faridabad, July 30

The Public Works Department (PWD) is working on a war-footing to ensure the inauguration of the much-awaited bridge over the Yamuna to connect Faridabad with Greater Noida before the Assembly elections. The foundation stone of the project was laid in August 2014.

No work yet on Noida approach road

The 630-metre-long bridge will provide direct connectivity between Faridabad and Noida and is likely to cut the travel time to 30 minutes from 1.30 hours. However, no work has started on constructing a 4-km-long passage to the bridge from Greater Noida as the authorities are yet to acquire land for it

While the 630-metre-long bridge got ready about six months ago, the construction of the approach road from Faridabad side is near-complete. It includes the earthwork on the 800-metre stretch on the UP side of the bridge falling in Haryana.

The widening of the 20-km-long road connecting Faridabad city with the bridge is also in the last stage of completion, according to sources. However, no work has started on providing a 4-km-long passage to the bridge from Greater Noida as the authorities are yet to acquire land for it.

The foundation of the Rs 315 crore project was laid formally by Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on August 14, 2014. The work on it started in 2018, with the deadline set for December 2019. After jumping six deadlines, the bridge got completed in January this year. It is the first bridge to provide direct connectivity between Faridabad and Noida and is likely to cut travel time to 30 minutes from 1.30 hours, according to officials. Seen as a pet project of Union Minister of State and local MP Krishan Pal Gurjar, it has invited much criticism from the Opposition for missing several deadlines.

The bridge is functioning partially. The movement of traffic on the bridge began in March, but the ride is still not smooth due to the pending work. “Vehicles have to trudge through unpaved and uneven stretches for several kilometres as the connecting road from the UP side is missing, resulting in inconvenience to commuters,” said Varun Sheokand, a resident.

Pradeep Sindhu, Executive Engineer, PWD, said the project was nearing completion and it was likely to be inaugurated in the first week of September.