Construction work on flyovers stopped, residents demand structural changes

The construction work of flyovers has been stopped at five locations on the highways being constructed and maintained by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) in the periphery of the city. Shopkeepers and people residing near the national highway — from Beas to Loharka Road turn — are opposing the construction of these flyovers.

The work has been stopped for last three years in Rayya town, where traders, residents and Kisan Unions opposed the mud-filled structure of the flyover. Earlier, there was a mud-filled structure in Rayya and a narrow passage under the bridge. It was a long-pending demand of locals to construct an overbridge on pillars. With the intervention of former Member of Parliament Jasbir Singh Dimpa from Khadoor Sahib, the NHAI removed the flyover and replaced it with a pillar-based structure. The construction of the flyover bridge was almost complete when residents started a demonstration to extend the pillar-based structure to Canal Bridge. The authorities are reluctant to extend the bridge and work has been stopped midway since 2021.

Not only in Rayya, the residents of Khalchian, Daburji and Vallah also demanded the same pillar-based structure and asked the contractors to stop the work. The people residing in villages on the main highway approach local politicians to replace the structure so they can get better infrastructure. The commuters had to face long traffic jams on these stretches due to the delay.

“The locals demand to construct flyover on pillars instead of mud-filled structures. But it is a costly affair and the government does not approve such pillar-based structure everywhere. Surveys are conducted and then the bridge is designed. The construction of concrete pillars and infrastructure is costly than the mud-filled overbridge,” said a contractor of NHAI.

“The mud-filled bridge with walls on both the sides occupies more space and divides villages or towns. The construction of walls disrupt the visibility of shops. The authorities give a small passage to cross the road. We are not opposing construction of the bridge but the mud-filled walled structure,” said Avtar Singh, a resident of Rayya.

Costly affair

The locals demand to construct flyover on pillars instead of mud-filled structures. But it is a costly affair and the government does not approve such pillar-based structure everywhere. Surveys are conducted and then the bridge is designed. The construction of concrete pillars and infrastructure is costly as compared to the mud-filled overbridge. — NHAI contractor