Ludhiana: 13 years after being deemed ‘unsafe’, Buddha Nullah bridge set for upgrade

The public works department has started construction on an old bridge near Chand Cinema, as part of a comprehensive bridge upgrade plan. The project is expected to cost ₹8.25 crore and take nine months to complete. The existing bridge was deemed unsafe in 2011 and heavy vehicles were banned from using it in 2018. Previous attempts to reconstruct the bridge failed multiple times.

The public works department (PWD) has embarked on the construction of an old bridge over Buddha Nullah near Chand Cinema, marking the initiation of a comprehensive bridge upgrade plan.

PWD employees dismantling the old bridge over Buddha Nullah near Chand Cinema to reconstruct a new bridge in Ludhiana. (HT)

The contract for this infrastructure development was awarded to a firm on December 29, with a stipulated timeline of nine months to complete the construction of the two-span bridge.

Officials from the PWD have confirmed the commencement of activities, including earth testing and the mobilisation of machines and equipment. The next phase will involve the systematic dismantling of the existing bridge. The entire project is estimated to cost ₹8.25 crore.

The bridge over Buddha Nullah near Chand Cinema was deemed unsafe in 2011. Subsequently, heavy vehicles were barred from using it in 2018, and further restrictions were imposed in January 2021, prohibiting cars and other vehicles (except two-wheelers). Traffic was diverted to an adjacent bridge.

Earlier attempts by the municipal corporation (MC) to procure bids for the reconstruction of the bridge, at an estimated cost of ₹5.84 crore, were met with repeated failures on eight occasions. Following this, the MC explored the option of issuing the tender for the demolition of the bridge, with an approximate budget of ₹1.13 crore. However, reports suggest that even this proposal faced cancellation.