NHAI begins work on parking lots along elevated highway in city

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has begun work to develop parking lots on both sides of the newly-built elevated highway in Ludhiana.

Following the Ministry of Road Transport and Highway’s (MoRTH) formal nod, the NHAI has floated a tender to call bids for development, operations and maintenance of parking facilities along the elevated highway, connecting Samrala Chowk to the Ludhiana municipal limits till Ferozepur road on th NH-05 in the city.

To come up at the cost of Rs 7 crore, the project will entail parking of 750 vehicles across 14 lots on both sides of the elevated highway, passing through main arteries of the city.

Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora told The Tribune, here on Saturday that the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML), Col Anil Sen, has issued a notice inviting tender from interested builders till December 11 after submitting their queries, if any, till November 13.

The tender notice reads that as part of its endeavour to provide world-class infrastructure and related service for the highway network, the NHAI/ NHLML has proposed to set up parking facilities for road users. “The parking facilities are aimed at improving urban mobility and reducing congestion within the urban limits,” it noted.

Arora, who was the main force behind the construction of the elevated highway, had recently met the NHLML Chairman, Vinay Kumar, who had granted in-principle approval to the project.

The ruling AAP member from Punjab in the Upper House of Parliament had called on the chief of the NHLML, which comes under the aegis of MoRTH and NHAI, to discuss the urgent need for expediting the construction of parking facilities along the elevated highway in Ludhiana.

He had emphasised the critical importance of the project in easing traffic congestion, which affects local businesses and commuters.

“Our local MLAs had been following up with me to get this finalised with the authority concerned,” Arora said while apprising the NHLML Chairman the project’s significance as it would help increase footfall to local businesses.

He said the NHLML Chairman had agreed to develop parking slots and footpaths on the service road along both sides of the elevated highway at an estimated cost of Rs 7 crore.

“The NHLML Chairman, while understanding the gravity of the situation, had granted statutory approvals for the project, covering 14 locations with a parking capacity of around 750 vehicles,” the parliamentarian said.

He said the parking lots would come up along Bharat Nagar Chowk, DC Office, Bhai Bala Chowk, Park Plaza, Novelty, Nagpal Regency, Aarti Chowk, Maharaja Regency, Kaka Marriage Palace, Malhar Road, PAU Gate 1, PAU Gate 2, Jagdish Store and Sidhwan Canal.

Appreciating the NHLML Chairman’s prompt response and commitment to address the traffic congestion issue in the city, Arora said the NHAI had already approved estimates of the project, which had been prepared after conducting the feasibility study.

As per the estimates, around 750 vehicles can be parked at the proposed lots between the service road and main carriage along the elevated road.

The 12.951-km partially-access controlled four-lane NH-05 section passing through the city was constructed by the NHAI on the EPC mode under the NHDP Phase IV at the cost of Rs 756.27 crore to provide uninterrupted flow of traffic to several government offices, including Mini Secretariat, Commissioner of Police office, head post office and major business establishments.