NH-22 bypass work derails,jams traffic

Though a battery of tractors,tipper-trucks,cranes,JVCs,generators,road rollers,and about 2,000 labourers are working round-the-clock to meet the December 2011 deadline to complete the Pinjore-Parwanoo bypass,which is expected to bring remedy,it looks a bridge too far as of now.

As per National Highway Authority of India (NHAI),the project was to be completed by August 2010. Then the date of completion was revised to May 2011. But it missed that deadline also,and now it is expected to be completed by December 2011.

“Rainy season,land slides are delaying the construction. It will miss the deadline again,” said Vinod,one of the supervisors of the company executing the project.

The bypass is a part of Zirakpur-Parwanoo four-lane project on NH-22. It is 28.69-km project,awarded at Rs 295 crore,with 20 km in Haryana,2 km in Punjab and 6.69 km in Himachal Pradesh. The project road up to 17.25 km till Mallah in Pinjore is almost ready and then there is a bypass ( of about 11 km) till Parwanoo,which joins the main road near Timber Trail resort.

The bypass as of now is metalled only around Mauja,Bitna and Tipra villages and the rest is unpaved. At various locations,the hills have been cut to make way for the road. Earlier,the delays occurred as a reserve forest,private land and residential area were coming in the way,but now all those have been sorted out and compensation too have been given.

The bypass is going to have seven viaducts and two undepasses. “At such a height,the construction of viaducts has always been a difficult proposition. About 140 engineers,900 employees and 2,000 labourers are working to complete the bypass on time,” said a senior official of C and C Constructions Company,which is constructing the bypass.

The NH-22 further leads to Kasauli and Shimla,which witnesses heavy traffic of tourists,particularly during weekends. Traffic jams on Pinjore railway line and at the onset of congested Kalka market are common. Sometimes these jams stretch over two hours.

“About 600 four-wheelers and 400 trucks or buses passes through the Kalka toll barrier everyday on an average,” said Waseem Khan,who runs the toll barrier.

Panchkula’s Superintendent of Police Maneesh Chaudhry,however,is defensive: “Ours is the only district which has two traffic inspectors and about 95 per cent of the traffic police is deputed for NH-22. We have our cranes,ambulance and have also tied up with health department. On a daily basis,we put up a check post with alco-sensors. We are also running a drive with local authorities to check encroachment by roadside vendors. The cone barriers are put up by NHAI.”

“The bypass,which will be a four-lane,will also decrease the total journey till Parwanoo by about 2 km,” said a senior official of C and C Constructions Company.

The whole project,which is a part of National Highway Development Project Phase-III,was awarded to Jaiprakash Associates (Himalyan Expressways Pvt Ltd) in 2008 under Build Operate Transfer (BOT). It further gave the project to C and C Constructions Company.

A toll plaza on the stretch will be operated byJaiprakash Associates.

There are 14 bus bays,four truck lay byes,60 culverts,two minor bridges,two major bridges,11 underpasses or subways,one Railway Over Bridge ( at Zirakpur crossing) and two flyovers ( at Majri and Chandimandir) on the project.