Avneet Kaur Jalandhar, July 8 The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which started the project to construct two flyovers each at Rama Mandi and PAP Chowk in 2009 to be joined under the six-lane Jalandhar-Panipat expressway project, is yet to finish the work. Also, the work on the two stretches of the patch between Jalandhar cantt and Phagwara and on the Jalandhar-Kartarpur road is reported to be incomplete. With monsoon having arrived, thousands of commuters, shuttling daily between Amritsar and Jalandhar and neighbouring towns, face inconvenience as water gets accumulated and roads are full of mud due to the incomplete work. The wet roads pose a threat to both pedestrians and commuters in vehicles alike. The construction work on the six laning of the Jalandhar-Panipat highway began in May 2009, which was scheduled to be completed in 30 months by 2013. However, the work has been delayed for the last four years. Informing about the major reasons for the delay in the work, the NHAI site in charge said the ruckus over the construction of an elevated road between Chachoki village and bus stand at Phagwara on the NH-1 has delayed the six laning of the Panipat-Jalandhar section. Now, it might take a few years to complete the work. Also, there were various public issues and at times, the work in the area was stopped by the public due to which the project had been delayed. For now, the Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Vijay Sampla has already filed an application to Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, on the issue and we will begin with the remaining work after getting an approval from the NHAI. NHAI project director, Jalandhar, Col NK Jain, who is looking after the ongoing work on the Kartarpur road NH-1 highway, said the project had been derailed primarily because of the electric lines on the road. Moreover, the clearance of forests on the site took time, but the work had begun and it would continue till we are not done with the project. Talking about the progress so far, he said the ground work of the project had been completed. The remaining work was being carried out keeping in mind the convenience of commuters. It would take at least one more year and is supposed to be completed by March 31, 2018.

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