Commuters hit by ongoing ROB repair, delay in another project

Mohit Khanna
Tribune News Service
Rajpura, August 3
The residents of the industrial town of Rajpura are currently facing significant travel disruptions as they are forced to detour through the bumpy road to reach the other side of town. The ongoing maintenance work on the railway overbridge (ROB), which has been underway for the past over 30 days, is expected to keep the bridge closed for another fortnight. This ROB is considered the main artery of Rajpura, and its closure has greatly affected daily commutes.
Although a bypass is operational, the focus has shifted to another ROB project located on the Rajpura railway station road, where progress has been excruciatingly slow. The foundation stone at the site indicates that then Patiala Member of Parliament, Preneet Kaur, and then Cabinet Minister Vijay Inder Singla inaugurated the project on February 17, 2020. Despite an estimated cost of Rs 24.28 crore and a projected completion timeline of two years, the ROB remains incomplete.
An official from the Public Works Department (PWD) stated that while the ramps on either side of the ROB were completed within the stipulated time frame, the delays were allegedly caused by the railway. Sources revealed that before the Lok Sabha elections, former Patiala MP Preneet Kaur raised the issue with the railway authorities, prompting the resumption of work to install a span connecting the bridge.
Local resident Vijay Kumar, who lives near the under-construction ROB, expressed frustration over the slow pace of work. “If the railways had started the work on time, the ROB would have been operational by now. The work is still being conducted at a snail pace,” he said, adding that the completed ROB would ease traffic congestion and enhance mobility for city residents.
Shopkeepers in Rajpura have reported a decline in sales due to the closing of the flyover. Tarun Dhingra, a local shopkeeper, stated that traffic diversions have affected customer flow. “If the second ROB were operational it would not have affected the traffic flow and we would not be facing these losses,” he remarked.
Rajpura SDM Ravinder Singh acknowledged the long-overdue maintenance of the ROB. He assured that the maintenance work would be completed by August 15, while the construction of the new ROB is expected to be finished by October 31 this year.