Ludhiana: In a step that would benefit residents of both rural and urban areas of the city, a new bridge would be built at the cost of Rs 7 crore near Jhammat village.
Carpeting of approach roads leading to Jalandhar via Ladowal National Highway bypass and from the bridge to the underpass has also been approved. Both these projects, which have been a long-pending demand of the area residents who had been facing traffic jams due to the narrow bridge, will largely benefit people of South City, Ladowal, Barewal and those using this road to go to Jalandhar.
The bridge site near Jhammat village was inspected on Wednesday by officials of departments concerned along with councillor Mamta Ashu on behalf of cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu. She said, “The areas surrounding Jhammat village have witnessed development of a large number of residential colonies, besides some educational institutions. The commuters have been using the existing bridge and facing frequent traffic jams due to its narrow width of just 3.7 metres. After the matter was taken up with the state government, Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA), irrigation department and others surveyed the area and prepared a detailed project report.”
The councillor said, “The project has been divided into three parts—constructing new bridge with width of 12 metres, laying of concrete on the approach roads connecting Jalandhar via Ladowal National Highway bypass and from the bridge to the underpass. GLADA will be the executive agency of the project and the construction will be over within two months once the work starts. The project is in the tender stage now and its work order will be issued soon. Once complete, the traffic congestion and jams will be a thing of the past. Clear directions have been issued to the officials to ensure that the timelines of the project are followed.” She said people could contact her anytime for suggestions on the project.
Hailing the move, Gurdeep Singh, a local property dealer, said, “Widening of this bridge was important as the narrow one was built years ago. Now with increased urbanisation and traffic in the nearby areas, huge jams ail commuters.”