In a major relief to airport-goers from Chandigarh, the newly constructed alternate link road to the Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport is set to become fully operational by October 31.
The 164-ft-wide corridor runs from the Sector 65-66 junction near Bawa White House to the airport area near Sector 66-B.
Once operational, it is expected to reduce the distance for commuters coming from Tribune Chowk side by around 5-7 km and save them approximately 15 minutes. With this, they can also avoid the heavily congested PR7 (Airport Road), and resultantly bring down the traffic on this stretch.
Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) chief administrator Sandeep Rishi said most of the construction work is complete. “While a majority of the heavy civil construction, including major structural work, stands completed, only vital bitumen laying and road surfacing are pending at a few patches. These will be completed well before the October 31 deadline, allowing a smooth flow of dual-carriageway traffic. In other words, it’s GMADA’s Diwali present for Mohali commuters,” he said.
The push to complete the project comes after the Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) recently directed authorities to expedite the pending infrastructure work.
{{/usCountry}}The push to complete the project comes after the Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) recently directed authorities to expedite the pending infrastructure work.
{{/usCountry}}The project has faced multiple administrative hurdles and missed deadlines since it was first proposed following a 2015 public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Mohali Industries Association seeking improved airport connectivity. GMADA had awarded the construction contract for ₹125 crore, but the completion schedule was repeatedly revised.
Officials had cited complex engineering work, including the double-lane railway underpass and a bridge over the seasonal N-Choe rivulet, among the reasons for delays. The project missed its earlier completion targets of December 2025, March 2026 and May 31, 2026.
Alongside the roadwork, GMADA is undertaking landscaping and beautification measures along the corridor. The authority has earmarked nearly ₹4 crore for horticulture and landscaping. The plan includes extensive plantation, landscaped zones and roadside green spaces to enhance the area’s green cover.
The agency responsible for the horticulture work will be required to maintain the plantations for three years. Separately, beautification works worth ₹55 lakh are also under tender for nearby traffic roundabouts, including the Gurudwara Sohana Sahib junction on the PR-7 road.