10 years on, slow pace of work on approach roads delays opening of Rs 400-crore bridge project

After 10 years of laying its foundation stone, the first major interstate bridge in the district over the Yamuna is non-operational. The construction of the four-lane bridge, costing over Rs 400 crore, near Manjhawali village is already over, but the work on the approach roads is yet to complete.

Though some vehicles have been using this bridge to head for Greater Noida after the main bridge platform got ready in December 2022, the approach road connectivity on both sides of the bridge is not yet complete after about 21 months, according to reports.

The foundation stone of the project was laid in August 2014, but the construction work started in 2018 and it took about four years to complete the construction of the main bridge, said officials of the Public Works Department. However, the bridge has failed to serve the purpose so far due to incomplete construction of the approach roads on both sides.

While 90 per cent of the work on the 500-m passage that provides connectivity to the bridge from Faridabad side is over, only 30 percent work is accomplished on the Uttar Pradesh side, it is learnt.

“The bridge is of no use till it is provided with approach roads or connectivity enabling vehicle movement across the bridge,” said an official.

With providing direct connectivity between Faridabad and Greater Noida, the bridge will reduce the commuting time between Faridabad and Greater Noida, it is claimed.

PWD Executive Engineer Pradeep Sindhu said the construction of the approach road in Haryana is almost over and is likely to complete within a month. He said the department was in touch with the officials of the Uttar Pradesh Government to push for any early completion of the pending work.