Work on underpass near Faridpur stalled for 2 years

Construction of a railway underpass on the Panipat–Ambala track near Faridpur village has remained halted for the past two years, forcing hundreds of students and residents of several villages to face multiple daily problems.

According to available information, the Railways decided in 2022 to construct road under-bridges (RUBs) at unmanned gates on the Panipat–Ambala line. Work on the underpass near Faridpur began in April 2023, with a six-month deadline ending on September 30, 2023. The project budget was around Rs 4 crore.

The project has not only missed its first deadline but has remained suspended for almost two-and-a-half years, failing to meet several subsequent deadlines.

Sources said the underpass construction is nearly 90 per cent complete. The approach road on the upper side has been built, but around 70 metres of the downside approach remains unfinished. Several eucalyptus trees standing alongside the road need to be felled, but the clearance process has been stuck in files since December 2024.

Because of the delay, around 2,500 students of Maharaja Aggarsen Sanatan Dharam (MASD) School and the Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology (APIIT) have been forced to travel an additional 5–10 km to reach their institutes. Many villagers and students also cross the railway track directly, risking their lives. The SD Education Society filed a writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking expeditious completion, and the court directed that the work be completed. However, the project continues to “roam from one office to another”, sources said.

Kulwant Singh, former sarpanch of Faridpur, said, “The students of the school and the college, as well as residents of various villages, are badly affected due to the lethargic attitude of the authorities. This is the main way to the village and the institutes that connects to NH-44, but no one is bothering to resolve the genuine problems of the people. The work should be completed at the earliest so that students, staff of both institutions, and residents of nearby villages get relief.”

Sandeep Kalyan, Senior Section Engineer (SSE), Northern Railway, said the work had been halted due to the pending felling of trees. “Now, the Forest Department has given the NOC for felling of the trees. The Forest Department has demanded compensatory afforestation charges of Rs 3,50,088 for diversion of forest land,” he said.

“The case has been sent to the railway headquarters for depositing the amount to the Forest Department. The work will be completed just after the removal of the trees from there,” Kalyan added.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Virender Kumar Dahiya said the matter had been taken up with railway officials. He said they had been asked to complete the work at the earliest for the convenience of both residents and students.