UT placed report before council after nod at highest level Ramkrishan Upadhyay Chandigarh, December 10 No experts’ committee, including the high-powered state-level Road Safety Council, of the UT Administration had ever discussed the Tribune flyover project or other options before its approval. According to information procured under the Right to Information Act, it has been revealed that the Administration first appointed a consultant to prepare the detailed project report with the aim of ensuring seamless traffic on the national highway up to Zirarkpur and then opted for the flyover option. Later, a presentation regarding the flyover was made before members of the council. The presentation regarding the Tribune flyover was made at a meeting of the Road Safety Council held on June 8, 2018. The presentation was made after the project was approved by the Administration at the highest level. One of the members of the Road Safety Council said the presentation was a mere formality as the flyover project had already been approved and was placed only for discussion. He said the members discussed only the flyover option. He said they would have given different views had the department presented all options suggested by the consultant. In the minutes of the meeting, it has been mentioned that “at the outset of the meeting, the Chief Engineer-cum-Special Secretary told the members of the council that due to a substantial increase in the traffic over the years, there was a lot of traffic congestion from Tribune Chowk to Zirakpur as this stretch falls on the national highway. The Administration had taken up the matter with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways for seeking appropriate measures to ease the traffic congestion. On the basis of in-principle approval accorded by the ministry, the Administration had invited tenders for engaging a consultant to address the problem. Accordingly, the STUP consultant was engaged for the work. The consultant carried out various traffic studies and soil investigations and submitted a few proposals for reducing traffic on this stretch and also made a presentation before a high-level committee as well as before the Administrator. The best proposal (in the form of a power point presentation) shortlisted by the technical committee was presented by the Chief Engineer before the members of the Road Safety Council. The committee members later given approval to the project. The Road Safety Council is the highest body, which gives its views on traffic-related issues to the Administration. Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari had announced the project during his Chandigarh visit in 2016 after the demand was raised by local Member of Parliament Kirron Kher.

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