PU-PGI underpass: Chandigarh fails to hire structural design consultant

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 20

The UT Engineering Department has failed to engage a consultant to prepare a structural design of the pedestrian underpass to be constructed between the PGI and Panjab University (PU).

The department had invited bids from eligible consultants for preparing the structural design. However, it had to cancel the process as only one firm submitted a tender, a senior official of the department said, adding that now, fresh bids had been invited.

He said the aim of preparing the structural design was to produce a structure capable of resisting all applied loads during its intended life.

The work would entail detailed geo-technical investigations to determine the properties of soil up to a depth of 35 m for designing the foundations, approaches and other structures.

The firm would be required to prepare preliminary drawings and details with tentative dimensions required for calculation of quantities of various items for the construction work. In November 2019, then UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore had given in-principle approval for the construction of the underpass after the traffic police had apprised the Administration of the need of an underpass between the hospital and the university due to a heavy rush of patients and their attendants, as thousands of people from neighbouring states reach the medical institute for treatment every day.

As buses drop passengers on the road opposite the main gate of the hospital, they have to cross the road amid heavy traffic, which is a risky affair. Also, people have to wait for a long time to cross the road due to heavy traffic on both sides of the road. Likely to cost nearly Rs7.20 crore, the underpass would be 15-m wide and 38-m long. It would have 12 shops, including of photostat, so that patients or their attendants visiting the PGI could get basic facilities at one place.

The Urban Planning Department had already prepared drawings of the underpass. Recently, the Engineering Department had decided to have ramps instead of the mechanised staircase at the underpass. The Municipal Corporation will shift the underground cables and water and sewage pipes while the remaining work would be carried out by the Engineering Department.

On completion of the underpass, thousands of patients visiting the PGI will get relief from crossing the busy Madhya Marg.