To ease the traffic congestion in Panipat City, the work on widening of NH-44 to start soon

With the end of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-4), the much awaited project of widening of peripheral ways on both sides of elevated highway on NH-44, which is crossing from the city, would start soon. The national highway authority of India (NHAI) would start the work soon.

The project is worth Rs 14 crore and the peripheral ways on both sides would be widened from 3.5 meter to 5.5 meter in the city.

Globally known ‘textile city’ Panipat is located on both sides of national highway-44 (earlier NH-1) and to ease the traffic congestion in city, the 10 km Panipat elevated highway which includes a 3.4 km flyover was constructed in 2008 during the Congress government regime.

But, even after construction of the elevated highway, the traffic jam was one of the biggest problems ailing the city.

Long queues of vehicles, auto-rickshaws could be seen near Sanjay Chowk, Red Light chowk, Insaar Market chowk and on Railway Road, near Old bus stand, Sanoli road, Gohana road turn and Assandh road turn in the city. Service roads on both sides are encroached by the showroom owners for keeping their goods as well as for parking of vehicles on it.

However, the efforts to ease the traffic congestion on both the sides of elevated highways were made time to time but during the BJP government 2.0 the bus stand has been shifted to Sewah village, which was also a big reason of the vehicular congestion, the parking under the elevated highway has been developed and the parking lot have been allotted on contract basis.

However, earning of Rs 12.60 lakh per month has been started from the parking contract but the traffic problem was not resolved.

MLA Pramod Vij along with the district administrative officials planned a new proposal of widening of the peripheral ways on the both sides of the elevated highway two years ago.

Even, a survey was conducted by the district administration and NHAI officials jointly to make the proposal happen on the ground.

According to the project details available, presently the peripheral way is 9 meter wide on both sides. Now, the peripheral way would be widened from 3.5 meter to 5.5 meters on both sides as per the space available.

The sewage drain on NH-44, which was maintained by the L&T company would also be shifted. However, this drain was not cleaned properly by the company in the last 16 years due to which the NH-44 overflowed during the rains.

After preparing the project was sent for approval to NHAI headquarter but was stuck in files for the last two years. The NHAI after receiving the budget allotted the tender which was opened in the July month this year. But, it got delayed due to implementation of the Model Code of Conduct.

After end of the Model Code of Conduct the project again stuck due to implementation of the GRAP by the Commission of Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the national capital region (NCR).

Aashim Bansal, Project Director, NHAI Ambala said that all official formalities have been completed for the widening of the NH-44 in Panipat and now work would be started within a week.

Deputy Commissioner Virender Kumar Dahiya said the basic motive for widening of the peripheral roads was to decongest the traffic flow on the NH-44 in the city and to provide better facilities to the residents. The work of widening both sides on NH-44 would start soon, the Deputy Commissioner maintained.