Cutting congestion: No two ways about it

Chandigarh, October 18 : Third route from Chandigarh to Panchkula set to become operational by year-end

Come December and there will be three routes connecting Chandigarh and Panchkula. Besides the existing routes - Madhya Marg leading to Housing Board lightpoint and St Kabir School Housing Board lightpoint via Information Technology Park lightpoint and Modern Housing Complex; the much-awaited route from Hallomajra village lightpoint at the Chandigarh-Zirakpur highway and connecting Panchkula’s Bell factory, Industrial Area will see the light of day by mid-November.

The new path, which is about 2.9 kilometers, is under construction and will comprise a four-lane road with a median.

While talking to the Chandigarh Newsline, the UT Administration’s engineers said, “The route is almost complete, except for the construction of a 100-yard bridge, which will get ready by mid-November. Another 500 metres stretch connecting the bridge to the main road will also be completed soon. There is a railway junction in between and the proposal is to construct an underpass below the railway line. If the proposal gets a green signal, commuters will save a lot of time.”

Around 1.5 to 2 lakh people commute between Chandigarh and Panchkula everyday. With the Madhya Marg route and St Kabir School route already clogged, the new route will share the burden of around 40,000 vehicles.

“After the completion of the new route, the choking detours can breathe,” said Sanjay Jain, Assistant Engineer, UT Administration’s Engineering Department, who is supervising the construction work at the new route.

The new route will connect the roads between the Chandigarh Airport and the Rajiv Gandhi Chandigarh Technology Park via the railway station. It will further make the distance between Mohali and Panchkula much shorter.

Another route that connects the City Beautiful with Panchkula passes through the Saketri-Kishangarh village road. It starts from the Chandigarh Airport rotary and reaches Panchkula at various points (Industrial Area, Sector 16 and 17 through Mauli Jagran village and Rajiv Colony) crossing through Makhanmajra.

The new route will also be used to ferry goods from railway station and godowns in Daria village. Previously, trucks used to clog the Purv Marg to reach the Chandigarh Railway Station and Daria village.

The new route will

* Shorten the distance between southern sectors of Chandigarh and Mohali with Panchkula

* Bring Panchkula Industrial Area and Chandigarh Industrial Area closer

* Shorten the route connecting the airport, railway station and IT park

* Reduce congestion of vehicles at over-clogged Madhya...

Source: indianexpress.com