Ludhiana: Bittu blames Mann govt over NOC delay

While Giaspura claimed that the Punjab government had issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) to the Railways in November last year, Bittu countered that the NOC was conditional and had been rejected by the Railways as it did not meet required parameters

A day after AAP’s Payal MLA Manwinder Singh Giaspura staged a protest over the delay in constructing a road overbridge (ROB) between Doraha and Sahnewal, the issue has taken a political turn with Union minister of state for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu accusing the Punjab government of misleading the public and stalling the project for “political reasons.”

Ravneet Singh Bittu (HT File)

While Giaspura claimed that the Punjab government had issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) to the Railways in November last year, Bittu countered that the NOC was conditional and had been rejected by the Railways as it did not meet required parameters. “Despite multiple letters written to the chief minister on May 2, May 21, and June 2 requesting a fresh and compliant NOC, no response has been received,” said Bittu.

Bittu also produced official correspondence to support his claim, including a recent letter from the executive engineer, PWD Rupnagar, stating that the Punjab government had conditionally signed the general arrangement drawing (GAD) and imposed a condition that Railways must obtain a further NOC before starting execution.

“This is not just a technical issue, it reflects a lack of will,” said Bittu. “The state government has not cleared the road for a project that directly impacts thousands of commuters.”

Bittu alleged that AAP leaders were misrepresenting facts to score political points. “The MLA is citing a letter from November 2024 as proof, ignoring the series of communications and meetings that followed, including one held in Chandigarh in January to resolve the NOC dispute,” he said.

Originally, the project was to be constructed by Punjab’s Public Works Department (PWD) through a private contractor. However, the state terminated that contract in August 2021, leading the Railways to take over the project. The dispute arose over conditions in the November 2024 NOC — notably the clause making Railways liable for an arbitration case pending between the state government and the original contractor.

Giaspura, during his protest on Sunday, had accused the Union Minister of neglecting infrastructure development in his home district, Ludhiana. He also claimed that Bittu was playing politics by highlighting similar ROB issues in CM Bhagwant Mann’s Dhuri constituency, while failing to act locally.

In response, Bittu denied the allegations and said, “This is a classic case of misinformation. The state government continues to delay the project despite knowing its importance. If they are serious, they must issue an unconditional, clear NOC.”

The exchange highlights the growing tension between the AAP-led state government and the Centre over infrastructure projects in Punjab. As public pressure mounts, both sides now face questions over whether the political deadlock will give way to actual progress on the ground.

Minister blames Bittu for delay in Dhuri overbridge project

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Punjab PWD minister Harbhajan Singh ETO accused Ravneet Singh Bittu of misleading the public regarding the delay in building the Dhuri railway overbridge.

The minister said the state government is fully funding the ₹54.46 crore project and has already released the money. He shared official documents in Chandigarh to prove that the state government approved the project on October 24, 2024.

He pointed out that ever since Mann became CM in 2022, he had promised to construct the overbridge, and the government has been working towards fulfilling that promise. ETO also mentioned that ₹1.32 crore has been paid to the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and ₹1.42 crore to the forest department for utility and land-related work.

The minister said that despite all this, the project cannot start because the Railway department has not issued a NOC, even though the central government is not providing any funds for the project.

ETO also criticised Bittu for not raising this issue back in June 2021 when traffic at the railway crossing was already 1.75 lakh vehicles daily and Congress was in power. “Now Bittu is spreading lies to cover up his own failures,” ETO claimed.

He challenged Bittu to get the NOC from the Railways. “If Bittu really cares about the people of Punjab, he should ensure the Railways gives the approval. As soon as the NOC comes, we will start work within three days,” he said.

“The only thing delaying the Dhuri overbridge is the Railways’ approval, not lack of money or intent from the Punjab government,” he added.