Tribune flyover: Expert panel to review fresh objections

The move comes in compliance with an order of the Punjab and Haryana high court

The expert committee constituted by the UT adviser last year has taken up for review fresh objections raised against the Tribune flyover project , which has been marred by controversies ever since its conception.

The move comes in compliance with an order of the Punjab and Haryana high court. In December 2019, the HC had asked the administration to respond to a representation of petitioners Jagwant Bath, an army veteran, and Chander Prakash, a city-based environmentalist, who had raised objections to the construction of the flyover.

Notably, after their multiple reminders remained unanswered for nearly eight months, the petitioners filed a contempt petition against UT adviser Manoj Parida, chief engineer Mukesh Anand and executive engineer Rajesh Bansal. On September 10, the day their petition was listed for hearing in the HC, the administration finally called them for a meeting.

The technical committee was setup on the directions of the HC in a petition by Run Club in October 2019. Staying the cutting of trees for the project, the court had directed the UT adviser to consider public and expert suggestions and objections to the project. The committee has already submitted its report to the adviser. The UT administrator later decided that his advisory council views will also be taken on the issue before the adviser submits the report to the HC.

AGAINST MASTER PLAN

In their representation, the petitioners have termed the project a result of “ad hocism” on the administration’s part and “antithetical” to the planned nature of the City Beautiful. “The project is in violation of the Chandigarh Master Plan 2031 and this has also been categorically stated by the UT urban planning department multiple times in their official communications,” they contended. They also highlighted in their submission that the approval of the Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee was elicited by calling a meeting of only its subcommittee.

Arguing that it is a single-point project, they stated, “To support it, several such projects will be needed in the tricity. This is not the solution to traffic congestion and pollution, and will result in unacceptable levels of pollution in the entire tricity.”

They have also raised objection on the project being private vehicle centric. “It is against the National Urban Transport Policy 2014 and a report of Inter-Ministerial Committee of Union Government. Flyovers merely push congestion to the next intersection and lead to increased traffic and congestion in the long term. Also, the Tribune junction was chosen arbitrarily for the flyover project.”

The committee is yet to respond to the petitioners’ objections.

PROJECT SO FAR

June 2016: Centre approves the project

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

November 20: High court stays removal of trees on a petition by NGO Run Club

December 23: UT adviser holds public hearing on project as per HC directions

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

March 2020: UT administrator decides report to be tabled before advisory council