Day after Bittu’s review of works, AAP’s Arora inaugurates bridge

Just a day after Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu inspected the progress of four key bridges over the Sidhwan Canal — prompted by a report in these columns, highlighting delays — political momentum surged.

Bittu, representing the BJP had announced that two bridges would be opened within a week and assured that work on the remaining ones was being fast-tracked.

In a swift counter-move, AAP’s MLA Sanjeev Arora, Minister for Power, Industry and Commerce, Investment Promotion, and NRI Affairs, inaugurated one of the bridges opposite Baklavi restaurant on Sunday morning, signalling a clear intent to claim credit for the development.

With both parties vying for visibility and public approval, the bridge project has become a stage for political one-upmanship.

Arora said another bridge is expected to open within 10 days while the remaining two are slated for completion in the next couple of months — setting the scene for more ribbon-cutting ceremonies and, likely, more credit battles.

Arora said after becoming a member of parliament in the Rajya Sabha in 2022, he met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari. Since then, he had held multiple meetings with the Secretary of MoRTH and the Chairpersons of NHAI, following a series of communications. He has consistently raised concerns related to the NHAI and other infrastructure projects with them.

“The completion of the four bridges will significantly ease traffic congestion, particularly in Ludhiana’s South City areas. Earlier, area residents had to face traffic congestion as the existing bridges were not enough to handle the increased traffic on the road,” he said.

With a cost of Rs 16 crore, the four bridges on Sidhwan Canal are being constructed approximately 300m from the F2 Raceway Bridge and Barewal Bridge, on both right and left sides.