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Centre clears ₹54-cr Dhuri overbridge after months of AAP-BJP credit war
Union minister Ravneet Bittu says tender process complete; targets CM Mann for stalling project previously claimed by state.
The Union ministry of railways has formally approved the construction of a railway overbridge (ROB) at Dhuri, ending a political standoff between Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann and Union minister of state for railways Ravneet Singh Bittu.
Announcing the ₹54-crore allocation on Wednesday, Bittu confirmed that the project is set to resume shortly.
In a social media post, he congratulated Punjab residents while taking a swipe at the AAP-led state government, alleging that political posturing had stalled the infrastructure work. Bittu said that work has already commenced on the ₹70-crore Doraha overbridge, a critical link for commuters travelling from the Malwa region toward Chandigarh and Ropar.
The Dhuri ROB has been a flashpoint for over a year. In June last year, CM Mann, who represents Dhuri in the assembly, claimed the state government would entirely fund the ₹54.76-crore project to resolve long-standing traffic woes at level crossing 62-A. Mann had then promised a completion timeline of 18 months.
However, Bittu countered these claims, accusing the CM of “pure optics” and asserting that the state had failed to deposit any funds with the railways. The central approval effectively shifts the project’s ownership toward the Centre.
Local BJP leader Jaswinder Singh, who had been on a hunger strike for three days demanding the bridge, ended his fast on Wednesday. He was persuaded to do so by Onkar Singh, a former OSD to CM Mann who recently defected to the BJP, following the confirmation from the railway ministry.
The Dhuri ROB is more than just an infrastructure project; it is a prestige battle in the chief minister’s own backyard. Dhuri, a part of the Sangrur Lok Sabha constituency, is a high-stakes zone for both the AAP and the BJP. By securing central funding and credit for the bridge, the BJP aims to undercut Mann’s development narrative in his home turf.
For the residents, the bridge is a necessity to bypass the frequent closure of the 62-A level crossing, which chokes connectivity between Malwa and the rest of the state.
