Road from P’kula to international airport hanging fire

Sanjay Bumbroo

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, October 13 

The construction of a road to connect Panchkula with the Chandigarh international airport hangs fire due to the lackadaisical approach of officials at  the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA). 

In the absence of any response from the Punjab officials, the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has now written to the Principal Secretary, Haryana, to intervene.

HUDA Executive Engineer NK Payal said the Chief Engineer (CE) had written to the Principal Secretary that despite several reminders, the Punjab officials did not turn up to see the site plan and measure the land to be acquired for the project. The CE has also sought advice as to how to proceed in the matter in the absence of response from the Punjab officials.

According to sources, the Punjab officials neither conducted a survey for the project nor handed over the possession of the land for the project in Punjab. Moreover, according to the sources, the Punjab officials failed to attend the meeting called in this regard thrice in the past. The last meeting to see the site plan  was fixed for September 21 but the Punjab official did not turn up. 

The letter further mentioned that private land was needed to be acquired by the authorities in Punjab  after which the length of the road would increase by 450 metres.  

With the construction of the road, the travel time for those living across the Ghaggar would reduce significantly.   

No response from Punjab authorities

• In the absence of any response from the Punjab officials, the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has now written to the Principal Secretary, Haryana, to intervene.
• HUDA Executive Engineer NK Payal said the Chief Engineer (CE) had written to the Principal Secretary that despite several reminders, the Punjab officials did not turn up to see the site plan and measure the land to be acquired for the project.