MOHALI : With the Zirakpur bypass project to divert incoming traffic to Panchkula stuck in a department rift, residents continue to face traffic jams on Patiala crossing. The project is stuck between Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (Gmada) and National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), with neither claiming responsibility to construct the road and passing the buck to each other instead.
Under the circumstances, commuters are forced to suffer traffic jams on the national highway near McDonald crossing and Patiala crossing. Long queues are seen in Zirakpur from Ambala side whereas the flyover built over the highway remains empty.
The bypass, which is part of the master plan, is in a limbo as Gmada claims the project is to be completed by NHAI, which has backed out saying they do not have approval. A senior NHAI official said, “We are yet to get approval from the head office to go ahead with the project. ”
"Negotiating this road stretch is a nightmare for commuters. The two authorities need to iron out the wrangles and delays in constructing the bypass on the Zirakpur stretch as it will be a boon for motorists who are stuck there for hours. They should forget about jurisdiction issues and work together for the larger good.-Timesview"
The bypass project, which entails construction of a 200-feet wide six-lane road connecting Ambala-Shimla highway to decongest incoming traffic at Zirakpur has been hanging fire for seven years.
The project was part of the master plan, under which traffic from Ambala would be diverted towards Panchkula for around 3 km before reaching Patiala crossing, helping reduce traffic congestion on arterial roads of Chandigarh -Madhya Marg and Dakshin Marg. owever, the project, which was initiated in 2013, was stuck in February 2014 de- spite the 100-acre land acquisition done by NHAI. The Gmada claimed the authority had already transferred the land to NHAI. Gmada chief engineer Davinder Singh said a meeting had been held and a decision was expected soon.
“We recently received a letter from NHAI saying they have not got any approval from their head office to go ahead with the project. We have already handed over the land to construct the road after NHAI demanded it be handed over but nothing was done on it. ”
RAJNATH SINGH GAVE NOD IN 2017
In August 2017, then Union home minister Rajnath Singh approved the project during a meeting of the Northern Zonal Council in Chandigarh. The 8-kilometre road will originate from McDonald’s crossing on the Ambala-Zirakpur highway and pass through Peer Muchalla, Sanoli, Gazipur, Nagla, all Mohali villages, and then join the Sector 20-21 dividing road in Panchkula towards Shimla. Once the road is complete, Shimla-bound traffic can take this road, bypass the bottleneck in Zirakpur and join the Shimla highway at Panchkula end.
