Chandigarh admn to go ahead with Tribune flyover project

UT adviser Manoj Parida said a report has been prepared to be submitted in the HC before January 11

A year after the Punjab and Haryana high court stayed the axing and transplanting of trees for Chandigarh’s first flyover at Tribune Chowk, the UT administration has decided to go ahead with the project.

The 1.6-km flyover is to be built from near the GMCH-32 roundabout up to the railway overbridge near Hallomajra on Dakshin Marg after passing over Tribune Chowk. On March 3 last year, UT administrator VP Singh Badnore had laid its foundation stone. To come up at a cost of ₹184 crore, it is being touted as a solution to the traffic chaos witnessed at the busy intersection.

However, after an NGO, The Run Club, moved the HC, the uprooting and cutting of trees was stayed in November last year. The project got further delayed as the administration got busy in Covid-19 pandemic management.

Now, UT adviser Manoj Parida said a report has been prepared to be submitted in the HC before January 11, which is the next date of hearing. The report is in favour of constructing the flyover. “Earlier, 2,700 trees were to be axed, but now only 700 will be removed. We will go ahead with our plan to construct the ambitious project,” he said.

On HC’s directions, Parida in December last year had constituted a technical committee to examine various suggestions on alternatives to the flyover project. As many as seven models were submitted to the committee, comprising senior UT officials and chief engineers from Punjab, Haryana and the National Highways Authority of India. After scrutinising all models, the committee had termed the alternatives unviable.

Nearly 1.5 lakh vehicles cross the rotaries of Dakshin Marg and Purv Marg near Tribune Chowk on a daily basis. Initially, the UT administration had planned a 7-km flyover, but the Centre reduced the length to 3.5km. Later, the ministry of road transport and highways further reduced the length to 1.6km.

Timeline

June 2016: Centre approves the project

March 2019: Foundation stone laid by UT administrator VP Singh Badnore

November 2019: High court stays removal of trees on a petition by NGO Run Club

December 2019: UT adviser holds public hearing on project as per HC directions

February 2020: Adviser’s technical committee submits report rejecting all alternatives to project