Three years after deadline, Mohali’s N-choe bridge hanging in balance

Rs 12-crore project being delayed due to three illegal houses on construction site; these will be razed within a week, says GMADA

Nearly four years after work on the high-level bridge on the N-choe near Mauli Baidwan village was allotted, the project is only 40% complete, forcing commuters to continue taking longer alternative routes.

The bridge is coming up near Mauli Baidwan village. Despite a December 2017 deadline, it is only 40% complete after nearly three years. (Gurminder Singh/HT)

The bridge will connect the Sector 80/81 dividing road with several villages.

The Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) had allotted the project to Panchkula-based Mann Builders with a December 2017 deadline.

Contractor Abhishek Kumar said the work was delayed due to three illegal houses on the construction site, which GMADA had failed to demolish. “Earlier, shifting of cables was stalling the project’s progress, but those have been removed now,” he said.

“The three illegal houses will be razed within a week. Thereafter, the contractor will expedite the work,” said Davinder Singh, chief engineer, GMADA.

Sources said the project was now expected to be completed by October 2021.

Mauli Baidwan’s sarpanch Bal Krishan Goyal said commuters were at the receiving end due to delay in completion of the bridge. “This is negligence on the part of GMADA officials, who first failed to shift the cables on time and are now delaying compensation to three house owners,” he added.

The National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI) authorities have also written to GMADA authorities several times to complete the project since they have to take the longest alternative route to reach the institute.