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Work to widen shopping street in Mohali takes off
As part of the ₹39-crore project, which is expected to be completed by December this year, trees on both sides of the 3.5km stretch from Phase 7 to 11 in Mohali will be transplanted
The project to expand the shopping street from the Phase 7 light point to Phase 11 light point, one of the busiest stretches in Mohali, has kicked off.
As part of the ₹39-crore project, which is expected to be completed by December this year, trees on both sides of the 3.5km stretch will be transplanted.
The Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) has allotted the work to Singla Constructions that has begun transplantation of nearly 220 trees at green belts to clear land for the project.
From the Phase-7 light point to the one near the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) office, the road is set to be widened from existing 30 metres to 60 metres.
From there till the Army canteen in Phase 10, the road currently gets tapered to 10.5 metres, which will be increased to 30 metres.
The stretch further till the Phase-11 light point is the narrowest at 10 metres and will also be expanded to 30 metres.
GMADA superintending engineer Ajay Garg said the project was aimed at decongesting traffic on the 3.5km road, which was lined with shopping arcades and thus saw highest vehicular movement in the city. “The widened road will also help bring down the number of accidents. The agency has started the work that has a December deadline,” he added.
A former executive engineer at GMADA, NS Kalsi, “The road from Kumbra Chowk to Bawa White House in Phase 11, which ends at the Mohali railway station, also requires widening. The stretch, which caters to the densely-populated sectors of Mohali, is only one lane for the most part, increasing the risk of accidents.”
Cycle track project a non-starter
Meanwhile, the ambitious cycle track project of the Mohali municipal corporation (MC) has remained a non-starter for over two years.
In October 2019, the civic body had decided to construct a 6km cycle track from Phase 11 to Spice Chowk in Industrial Area, Phase 7, at a cost of ₹2.27 crore. But the plan has remained only on paper.
At present, there is no cycle track in Mohali, putting cyclists and pedestrians on the busy stretches at risk. The proposed cycle track is to start from in front of NIPER in Sector 67, pass through Kumbra Chowk, PCL light point and go on till Industrial Area, Phase 7.
