Patiala-Sangrur bypass to remain closed for 6 months

The 19-km-long Patiala-Sangrur bypass, also known as the southern bypass, has been closed for six months to carry out extensive repairs, including four-laning of the road and construction of bridges.

The bypass that was built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), an engineering branch under the defence ministry, was opened in June last year to provide easy connectivity to traffic between Chandigarh and Bathinda, which otherwise used to move through Patiala city.

Since its opening, the bypass was not properly put to use due to inadequate road width and uneven road structure at several points.

NP Singh, executive engineer in the public works department’s national highway division, which is the executing agency, said it was true that the earlier executing agency, BRO, left several lapses during the construction of the bypass. After inspection, the work was taken over by the ministry of road transports and highways, and it has now ordered the road’s extensive repair, including its four-laning.

“Around 70% road length will be repaired during the ongoing repair work, which began a few days ago. A new bridge will also be constructed as the earlier bridge was not properly elevated,” he said.

Singh said more than Rs 200 crore will be spent on the repair work, most of which will be spent on widening the road from 8 metre to 17 metre. “The project will complete by the end of this year, but we will open one side of the road by September, so that some traffic movement can begin on it,” he said.

The bypass that originates from the Urban Estate in Patiala touches the National Highway-64 on the main Sangrur road near Bhakra canal, after moving along Sanaur and Sher Majra.