Manana ROB to be operational by April
PWD B&R officials have stated that the railway overbridge (ROB) near Manana village in Samalkha, on the Delhi-Ambala-Delhi railway track, is expected to be completed by April. Having been delayed for three years, the project has caused significant inconvenience to thousands of residents in nearby villages.
The Superintending Engineer, PWD, revealed the reasons for the delay to a Manana village resident on X (formerly Twitter). Notably, the Rs 17.39 crore project’’s deadline expired in November 2021, yet the department has taken no action against the contractor agency.
The issue came to light when Joginder Pal Singh Rathee, a resident of Manana village, brought it to the attention of Deputy Commissioner Virender Singh Dahiya at the Samadhan Shivir last month, following a response from the PWD Department.
In 2019, the PWD B&R Department awarded the tender to PS Infrabuild Private Limited for constructing a ROB connecting Manana village to NH-44, along with a three-year maintenance contract. The project, valued at Rs 17.39 crore, had a stipulated completion period of 18 months.
Dept gets landowners’ consent
Shailender Bhatia, SDO, PWD B&R Department, reported that around 85 per cent of the work on the Manana village ROB was complete, with the bridge expected to be operational by April. Landowners had consented to sell their land, and the matter was awaiting government approval. The SDO stated that the ROB at Diwana village was 95 per cent complete
Residents at receiving end
- Residents of Manana, Narayna, Khalila, Dhodhpur, Wazirpur Titana and Burshyam have been facing difficulties due to the delayed project. The project, valued at Rs 17.39 crore, had a stipulated completion period of 18 months
- The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent GRAP orders also caused repeated work suspensions, leading to delays. Further, the unavailability of land for constructing service roads was another significant obstacle
Amit Rathi, a Manana village resident, stated that residents of Manana, Narayna, Khalila, Dhodhpur, Wazirpur Titana and Burshyam have been facing difficulties due to the delayed project. Rathi highlighted the issue on X, prompting the SE, PWD B&R Department to disclose the reasons for the delay, including the presence of trees on the site that hindered construction. The department had to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Forest Department to remove or relocate the trees, which was recently received.
The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent GRAP orders also caused repeated work suspensions, leading to delays. Further, the unavailability of land for constructing service roads was another significant obstacle.
According to the Superintending Engineer, the ROB work is expected to be completed by April, while construction of the service roads will commence after the necessary land acquisition.
Rathi expressed concerns that the ROB work is progressing at a slow pace, and despite the department’s assurances, the completion deadline has been pushed back to April once again.
Shailender Bhatia, SDO, PWD B&R Department, reported that around 85 per cent of the work on the Manana village ROB is complete, with the bridge expected to be operational by April. Landowners have consented to sell their land, and the matter is awaiting government approval.
Additionally, the SDO stated that the ROB at Diwana village is 95 per cent complete and they expect it to be operational by next month.
