Get bridge reconstruction design finalised, officials told

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 20

Over nine years have passed since the bridge, located over Buddha Nullah on Old GT Road, here, was declared unsafe but its reconstruction is yet to be started. The Municipal Corporation today closed the bridge for all kind of traffic movement, except for two-wheelers.

Now, MC Commissioner Pardeep Kumar Sabharwal has given instructions to officials to get its design finalised. Sabharwal said the bridge design will be finalised by experts of Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College (GNDEC), Ludhiana, and then, the estimate would be prepared by experts for reconstruction of the bridge.

Notably, the civic body had stopped entry of heavy vehicles on the bridge in May 2018 but cars, three-wheelers and other two-wheelers were allowed. MLA, Ludhiana North, Rakesh Pandey, had raised the matter with the MC for early reconstruction of the bridge.

MC Superintending Engineer Teerath Bansal said only two-wheelers would be allowed to pass through the old bridge now. Meanwhile, the traffic would be diverted through a nearby bridge on Chand Cinema Road.

The bridge, which had been declared unsafe, is damaged from different points while bricks are falling from it on the road, with commuters passing underneath the same. Besides, safety walls on it had also got damaged.

In 2016, the MC’s Finance and Contract Committee (F&CC) had approved a proposal for consultation for the redesigning of the bridge. In 2017 & 2018, the officials had claimed that the design for the reconstruction would be prepared soon. But, the project to reconstruct the bridge is yet to be started.