Zirakpur-Parwanoo four-laning project: On course to completion by 2010 end?

The stretch
With an approximate length of 28.690 km,the Rs 295-crore project of the Zirakpur-Parwanoo four laning starts from near Hotel Shagun in Zirakpur on National Highway (NH) 22 and stretches till Mallah road,a few meters short of Yadvendra gardens in Pinjore.

Mallah road is the starting point for the 13-km Pinjore-Parwanoo bypass that will meet the National Highway near Timber Trail in Parwanoo.

“The entire project is divided in two parts: one in the plain terrain (Zirakpur- Mallah in Pinjore) and the other in the hills (Pinjore-Parwanoo bypass). It covers three states — Punjab (2 km),Haryana (21 km) and Himachal (5.6 km). With 12 structures in the Zirakpur-Pinjore path and 11 bridges and 5 underpasses in the Pinjore-Parwanoo bypass,construction on almost all structures has started,” said a senior official with the Jaiprakash Associates,who is also heading the project.

The official added that while pre-construction modalities began in September 2007,actual work on the project kicked off from March 1,2008.

Progress slowdown
Progress on the Zirakpur-Parwanoo project has been slowed down,courtesy delays in construction of various intermediate structures along the stretch,including the Chandimandir flyover and Majri Chowk flyover.

“The project began with an initial delay when the consultant was appointed in April 2008,eight months after his scheduled appointment when NHAI and JP Company signed the agreement in August 2007,” added the official.

Claiming that work on the Chandimandir flyover was hit by a 6-month delay owing to issues of land transfer from the Army to the NHAI and Haryana State,the official said efforts are being made to complete construction by December this year.

On the nearly four-month delay in the Majri Chowk flyover,scheduled to have been completed in January this year,the official said the land shown on papers for the flyover was different from the one handed over by Haryana for the project.

“It was after possession of the actual land that the new designs for the flyover were approved. Also,of the 35 hectares of land for the bypass,the Haryana government has neither handed over around nine hectares of land to NHAI,nor have they given clearance for cutting of trees on 7.6 hectares of land,” said the official.

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
The Panchkula Administration and the NHAI have decided to provide minimum diversions on the entire patch. Instead,service lanes on both sides of the ongoing project will be provided so that traffic on the patch does not get disrupted. “Service lanes have been provided on the entire patch for the smooth flow of traffic. Besides,officials with the JP group and the Panchkula traffic police have been pressed into service to prevent traffic jams as experienced by commuters during the Ambala Zirakpur four laning project near Zirakpur,” added the official.

Status of structures in the project
* Six-lane rail overbridge at Zirakpur — Work in progress
* Three minor bridges on Singh nallah — Construction on two bridges complete,one in progress
* Pedestrian underpass near Dhakoli — Work in progress
* Vehicular underpass near Sectors 2,20 and 21 — Work in progress
* Six lane flyover at Majri Chowk — Work in progress
* Pedestrian underpass on the highway near DC office-Work in progress
* Six lane flyover at Chandimandir — Work in progress
* Underpass near Saket hospital — Work in progress
* Bridge parallel to existing bridge on Jhajra River — Work in final stage
* Pinjore-Parwanoo bypass -Construction work underway