Four-laning of Zirakpur-Patiala road to begin soon

Rajiv Bhatia
Zirakpur, December 12
Work on four laning of the Zirakpur-Patiala highway is expected to commence shortly with the public works department asking the Zirakpur municipal council to submit an estimate of the cost of clearing the expressway. The PWD had earlier written to the MC to remove the streetlights on the highway which were under the latter’s jurisdiction.

According to MC officials, the PWD had sought the estimate of clearing a three kilometre stretch under the civic body’s jurisdiction before work on four-laning of the 55 km long highway could commence.

The department has been told to remove all streetlights and asked to prepare the estimate. The MC officials also stated that the MC had already issued notices to shopkeepers on the highway to remove encroachments.

Zirakpur executive officer SK Sharma said after receiving the PWD’s letter the department concerned had been asked to prepare the cost estimate which would be forwarded to the PWD soon.

When contacted, SDE Pawan Nagpal said the work on the four-laning of the highway would start soon. “Tenders for the project will be invited at the beginning of the new year. A private company will be given the contract to construct the expressway on a BOT (build-operate-transfer) basis”, he added.

Nagpal said the PWD had asked all municipal councils that were under the jurisdiction of Zirakpur to submit the cost estimate on clearing the expressway. He said after getting the estimate, payment would be made to them according to their estimates and after that the department would not face any difficulty during the work to widen the highway.

“The Zirakpur-Bhadurgarh stretch of the highway will be four-laned while the stretch from Bhadurgarh to the Patiala bus stand would be six-laned. The expressway will be completed by March 2012”, Nagpal added.

This stretch is known for being accident prone and plagued by incessant traffic jams. According to the police, more than six accidents are reported in a month on an average, with most mishaps occurring at night. Mean while, work on four-laning of the Zirakpur-Kalka highway is in progress and is expected be completed soon.