Roadblock: Elevated project delayed by another 6 months

The slow pace of work has made commuting difficult, causing bottlenecks at peak hours. Mayor Shawet Malik visited the site and pulled up the officials concerned. He also held meetings with various departments involved in the project and urged them to coordinate their working to ensure the work is completed soon.

“The work on laying the slab is in progress and a part of it has already been completed,” he said. But the project might take another six months to complete, he added. The project, worth Rs 173 crore, is being undertaken by Gammon India. It was started in 2006 to provide a smooth access way to the devotees visiting the Golden Temple.

Sources said the delay has been caused due to the delay in shifting of high tension overhead wires by the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB), the underground telephone cables and the water supply and sewerage lines. Admitting that the project had been delayed, Executive Engineer of the Municipal Corporation R S Randhawa said the efforts were being made to speed up the work.

“We are trying to undertake several things simultaneously. It is not an easy job and requires disconnecting the power supply and the telephone lines,” he said.