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Chandigarh: Tribune flyover project falls outside heritage zone, admn tells HC
Appearing before the HC bench of justice Sheel Nagu and justice Sanjiv Berry, UT’s senior standing counsel Amit Jhanji informed that the cost of the 1,650-metre flyover, first approved in 2016, has escalated by over ₹100 crore due to delays caused by opposition from certain quarters.
The Chandigarh administration on Monday told the Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) that the proposed Tribune Flyover does not fall within the city’s heritage zone and has been designed to ease traffic congestion on Dakshin Marg.
Appearing before the HC bench of justice Sheel Nagu and justice Sanjiv Berry, UT’s senior standing counsel Amit Jhanji informed that the cost of the 1,650-metre flyover, first approved in 2016, has escalated by over ₹100 crore due to delays caused by opposition from certain quarters.
As per the 2019 estimates, the project was to cost ₹137 crore.
The submissions were made in a clutch of petitions raising environmental concerns, stating that if the flyover is permitted, it would go against the city’s heritage character. The petitioners also challenged the cutting of trees for the project.
Notably, the Centre gave a financial nod of ₹247 crore for the project last month. The tender is to be issued this month.
The bench of chief justice, while referring to petitions on violation of the city’s heritage character, said, “Can we sacrifice the heritage concept because of some traffic congestion somewhere? Builders will come in, and they’ll construct multi-storey buildings. And the uniqueness of the heritage quality of the city will go.”
Responding to queries from the court, Jhanji explained that the roads, as such, have not been declared as “heritage”. “There is no road in Chandigarh, which has been given a heritage status. …It (Tribune flyover) is a part of national highway which cuts across the city,” said Jhanji, adding that the proposed project is outside Phase-1, comprising Sectors 1 to 30, which are referred to as the Le Corbusier Zone.
On January 10, 2023, the Supreme Court ruled that Sectors 1 to 30 of Chandigarh hold heritage status of the Le Corbusier Zone.
Jhanji further emphasised that in fact within Sector-1 to 30 also, the city has been divided into different zones with different sets of norms for allowing various kinds of construction, activities and restrictions.
He further informed that only 17 mango trees are going to be cut for the project and the UT has already said that it would do compensatory plantation of 2,799 saplings. The arguments will continue on Tuesday.
