E-Paper
20 major roundabouts coming up in Mohali
Work on the roundabouts, most of which will come up on the busy Airport Road, will commence in November, as tenders have already been floated. Initially, five roundabouts will be constructed, with each costing around ₹2.20 crore
To slow down traffic movement and further prevent road mishaps, the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) is set to construct 20 major roundabouts on the pattern of Chandigarh.
Work on the roundabouts, most of which will come up on the busy Airport Road, will commence in November, as tenders have already been floated. Initially, five roundabouts will be constructed, with each costing around ₹2.20 crore.
GMADA plans to construct these roundabouts with an inner diameter of 60 metres, bigger than those in Chandigarh that are 55 metres wide. Akin to Chandigarh, the height of the roundabouts will be low so that in case of an accident, a two-wheeler is not sandwiched between the roundabout and the vehicle hitting them.
Further, emulating the design of Chandigarh roundabouts, those in Mohali will be surrounded by 6-foot-wide paver blocks.
The construction of the first five roundabouts will take place at various junctions along the 150-foot-wide Airport Road. The project encompasses civil, public health and electrical works.
Completion in 10 months
GMADA chief engineer Balwinder Singh said tenders for five roundabouts had already been floated and will be opened on October 12, following which construction will begin in November. “Tenders for the remaining roundabouts will be issued soon and once construction commences, the project is expected to be completed within 10 months,” he said.
On March 5, the then Punjab housing and urban development minister Aman Arora had announced in the Assembly the plan to replace 16 traffic junctions in Mohali with roundabouts. Currently, Mohali police have temporarily installed plastic drums as makeshift roundabouts.
‘Shopping lane’ being widened
Also, with a view to decongest traffic on the busy “shopping lane” road, last year in March, GMADA had begun work to widen the road starting from the Phase 7 light point to the Phase 11 light point. It is one of the busiest stretches in the city. Work on the ₹39-crore project will be completed in December this year. As per information, the total length of the road to be widened is nearly 3.5 km.
From the Phase-7 light point to the one near PSEB office, the road will be widened from 30 metres to 60 metres. From PSEB light point to Army canteen in Phase 10, the road will be expanded from 10.5 metres to 30 metres, while that from Army canteen light point to Phase-11 light point will broadened from 10 metres to 30 metres.
Furthermore, GMADA is in the process of widening a 3.5-km road stretch from Bawa White House to Kumbra light point (Sector 66 to Sector 68 junction). This project is also slated to begin in November.
