The much talked about Rs 1,100 crore Ludhiana Ring Road project may get delayed due to serious objections raised by defence authorities. The main problem being its proximity to the field ammuniton depot in Badhowal on Ferozepur road.
Official sources told FE on Wednesday that the Punjab government had proposed to construct a six-lane Ring Road around Ludhiana, the industrial hub of Punjab to ease traffic congestion and to develop Ludhiana on the lines of Greater Noida Development Authority. Called the Manchester of Punjab, Ludhiana has got the Greater Ludhiana Development Authority but the Punjab government’s most ambitious plan of a Ring Road around the city seems to be running into rough weather.
It is learnt from Sahnewal Airport Authorities that the aviation authorities too had raised serious objections to the project. The Sahnewal airport authorities had objected to the project as Delhi-Ludhiana highway will be quite close to the runway.
As per the plan the project was to be offered for public private participation with viability gap funding, for which the Centre was to be approached.
The project involves land acquisition of about 1,000 acre and time schedule of three years for its completion. About 16 companies had expressed their interest in the project in June 2006. The government, through Greater Ludhiana Development Authority, had also invited feedback regarding the proposed road called the Access Controlled Ring Road System.
Sources in the chief minister’s office told FE that chief minister Parkash Singh Badal was personally taking keen interest in the early execution of the project as the state government had made announcement about the project immediately after assuming power. Since the airport and defence authorities (in Sahnewal and Badhowal) had raised objections to the passage of the road close to their sites, the government seems to have been left with no option but either to change the plan or drop the project.
The other projects that the state government is going ahead with are–Mohali byepass project which can be made a link between NH-22 on the Ropar-Chandigarh road to connect NH-21 near Dera Bassi. Then there is the Bathinda byepass, having a cost component of about Rs 20 crore to be executed by Punjab Urban Development Authority and to be taken up on BOT basis. The government is also planning to construct a high level bridge on river Sutlej at Ropar and Ropar byepass with bridge over Sirhind canal also on BOT basis. The high level bridge on river Sutlej at Makhu is also proposed to be taken up on BOT basis.