Work begins to build four bridges over Sidhwan Canal in Ludhiana at Rs 17 crore

Tribune News Service

Nitin Jain

Ludhiana, September 30

Finally, the work has begun to construct four bridges over the Sidhwan Canal on Laddowal Bypass here, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has said.

It would help decongest the massive traffic congestion in the busy south city area, which is becoming a hotspot for the food, recreation and tourism industry.

Project Report

Rs 16.64 crore Cost

Four Steel truss

Bridges Material

Length: 17.041 km

Location: 300-m away from Raceway and Barewal bridges over Sidhwan Canal on Laddowal Bypass

Deadline: March 2024

The development assumes significance as the project was awaiting nod for the past some time and Rajya Sabha MP from Ludhiana Sanjeev Arora had recently impressed upon NHAI Chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav to accord green signal to the project.

Arora, who reviewed the progress of NHAI projects with Deputy Commissioner Surabhi Malik and the NHAI officials concerned here recently told The Tribune here on Saturday that following the in-principle approval received from the NHAI headquarters in March, the NHAI regional office had allotted the work to construct four bridges over the Sidhwan Canal to a Bathinda-based construction firm at the cost of Rs 16.64 crore.

He said as per the scope of work, 17.041-km-long four steel truss bridges at four locations — 1+700, 2+450, 3+300, and 3+900 — over the Sidhwan Canal on four-lane partial access-controlled Laddowal Bypass from 0 to 17.041 km would be built on the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode.

“Your quoted bid price amounting to Rs 16,64,11,000 has been determined to be the lowest evaluated bid, substantially responsive and has been accepted by the competent authority,” the work order issued to the successful construction firm by NHAI Deputy General Manager (Technical) Ankush Mehta read.

Arora said nine bids had been received, which were examined and the most eligible one was awarded the project.

He said a feasibility and alignment survey was conducted to prepare the detailed project report on the basis of which tenders were floated to award the work. “The work would be completed by March next year,” the MP said.

According to the scope of work, the steel truss bridges would be constructed 300-m away from the F2 Raceway bridge (both on its right and left sides) and 300-m away from the Barewal bridge (both on its right and left sides) over the Sidhwan Canal on Laddowal Bypass.

“The bridges would help decongest the south city area which is dotted with heavy traffic flow,” Arora said, adding that the project would also help improve road safety and convenience of commuters on national highways covered under the project.

Arora said the NHAI Chairman had kept his words of giving approval to the construction of the four bridges over the Sidhwan Canal, which he had demanded during his recent meeting with him.

“I had apprised the NHAI Chairman that construction of the four bridges across the Sidhwan Canal towards the south city in Ludhiana was yet to see the light of day for which application was pending with the NHAI since long,” Arora said while thanking Yadav for approving the project.

Arora had informed the NHAI Chairman that Ludhiana being one of biggest industrial cities in the country with over 5 million population, the traffic situation was getting chaotic due to pending projects. He had requested him to direct the officials concerned to speed up the pending projects in and around Ludhiana.

While appreciating the work being done, he had drawn the NHAI Chairman’s attention towards the matters, which needed immediate intervention. He had told Yadav that the traffic situation within the MC limits of Ludhiana was in a bad shape on account of ongoing NHAI projects passing through the city causing traffic snarls and was causing a nightmare for commuters.

“Frequent and long traffic jams are making citizens lose their temper as it takes a long time to commute between office and homes,” the MP expressed while requesting the NHAI Chairman to take stock of the situation and take necessary initiatives for the speedy work as soon as possible to enable easing out of traffic situation.

“All assurances of the NHAI Chairman have come true,” he said while recounting that the Sherpur Chowk railway over bridge (RoB) had already been opened to traffic in March after its construction was completed and the ongoing work on the elevated road project had been expedited to be completed by the month-end.

Arora said the NHAI Chairman had also assured him that the construction of the four bridges across the Sidhwan Canal would be completed by the beginning of next year.

“City residents had been raising a strong demand for construction of the four bridges over the period of time and had been meeting him with the demand, which has been finally met,” the MP added.

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