Kharar flyover project set to meet Jan 15 deadline: SDM

The complete Verka Chowk to Khanpur-Ludhiana stretch was thrown open to the public on Monday

Running late by two years, the Kharar flyover project is all set to meet the latest deadline of January 15, 2021.

“We are almost through with the project with work under progress on about 2% of the stretch towards Ropar. The flyover construction is expected to be completed by January 15,” said Himanshu Jain, subdivisional magistrate, Kharar, after the complete Verka Chowk to Khanpur-Ludhiana stretch was thrown open to the public on Monday.

The national highway where the flyover is located connects Chandigarh to parts of Punjab, besides Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. This leaves Kharar as a major bottleneck, as about 50,000 vehicles cross the stretch daily.

The ₹350-crore project was initiated in November 2015 and has missed six deadlines, after initially slated to be completed in three years by December 2018.

The Balongi stretch of the 10-kilometre project was the first to be opened in October this year, followed by widening of the road between Balongi and Kharar T-point and construction of another two stretches of flyover and three minor bridges in early December.

Sharing the milestones achieved since July 2019, Jain said: “Taking possession of multiple pieces of land was a major bottleneck. Demolition drives were conducted since July last year and about 99% length of the project was cleared for shifting of utilities, drain work and service road, which was earlier only 40%.”

Thereafter, working on mission mode, the completion of drain work was accomplished, pulling it up from 20% to 100%, followed by construction of service roads and shifting of high-tension lines in a timely manner, which was pending since long.

“Despite Covid-19 challenge, regular supply of fly ash and gravels from Ropar was ensured. Flyover top structures are now complete and the progress on the wall of the elevated approach road is almost 95%,” said the SDM.