New Chandigarh-Zirakpur flyover thrown open for public

Built at a cost of around ₹9 crore, the 580-metre-long flyover will help reduce traffic congestion, bringing down the time to reach Chandigarh from Zirakpur from nearly half an hour to less than 5 minutes

The much-awaited Chandigarh-Zirakpur flyover was thrown open to the public on Friday.

The flyover starts near Hotel Ramada in Zirakpur and ends before the Chandigarh border, allowing commuters travelling between Chandigarh and Ambala to pass straight. (HT Photo)

Built at a cost of around ₹9 crore, the 580-metre-long flyover will help reduce traffic congestion, bringing down the time to reach Chandigarh from Zirakpur from nearly half an hour to less than 5 minutes.

It starts near Hotel Ramada in Zirakpur and ends before the Chandigarh border, allowing commuters travelling between Chandigarh and Ambala to pass straight, while vehicles, including trucks, headed towards the Zirakpur Industrial Area will be able to pass through the underpass built below the flyover.

Work on the flyover had begun in September 2021 with an August 30, 2022, deadline.

However, the public works department (PWD) pushed the deadline twice — to October and then December. Consequently, for 15 months, commuters continued to deal with massive traffic jams while construction progressed at a snail’s pace.

At a meeting on November 15, attended by the National Highway Authority of India, PWD, city council and the sub-divisional magistrate, the Mohali deputy commissioner had directed PWD to finish the work by November 30, following which the work was expedited and the flyover was opened on Friday.

Gurjeet Singh, site engineer, PWD, said, “On Friday evening, both sides of the flyover were opened for the public. Some minor work, including that on the median, is left and will be completed soon.”