Sanjeev Arora, MP takes up NHAI issues related to Punjab with NHAI’s new chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav 

Ludhiana, January 5, 2023: Sanjeev Arora, MP (Rajya Sabha) met the newly appointed chairman of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) 1995 batch IAS officer Santosh Kumar Yadav of UP Cadre in Delhi today and discussed in detail about the NHAI issues related to Punjab and particularly to Ludhiana.

Giving this information here in a statement here, Arora said while taking up pending issues regarding NHAI in Ludhiana he drew attention of the chairman towards a matter of public importance with respect to inconvenience faced by public and commuters at large due to pending projects of NHAI in and around Ludhiana. 

Arora sought speedy completion of Sherpur Bypass pending work stating that the pending project is really creating trouble for commuters daily as it takes almost 30 minutes to cross 500 meters patch. He also apprised the chairman that construction of 4 bridges across Sidhwan Canal towards South City in Ludhiana is yet to see the day of light for which application is pending with NHAI from long. He requested the chairman to personally look into the matter and do the needful.

Further, Arora apprised the NHAI chairman that Ludhiana being one of biggest industrial cities in the country and with over 5 million population the traffic situation gets chaotic due to pending projects. He, therefore, requested to direct the concerned officials to speed-up the pending projects in and around Ludhiana.

Arora also took up the matter related to expedition of NHAI work in Ludhiana. While appreciating work being done, he drew the chairman’s attention towards  matters which he said needs immediate intervention. He apprised the chairman that the traffic situation within the corporation limits of Ludhiana Municipal Corporation is in bad shape on account of ongoing NHAI projects passing through the city causing traffic snarls and is a nightmare for commuters. Frequent and long traffic jams are making citizens lose their temper as it takes long time to commute between office and homes. He requested to kindly direct the officials to take stock of the situation and take necessary initiatives for speedy work at the earliest possible enabling easing out of traffic situation.

Arora said the NHAI chairman assured him that the ongoing elevated road project in the city will be completed cent percent by June of 2023. The chairman also assured Arora that the process of project of construction of 4 bridges across Sidhwan Canal towards South City in Ludhiana will also be completed by end of this year. Arora said the Ludhiana citizens have been raising a strong demand for construction of these four bridges over the period and the leading citizens Gagan Khanna, Radhika Jatwani and Mridula Jain are among those who personally took up this matter with him.  
About Sherpur Bypass work, the NHAI chairman told Arora that tenders for the same have been awarded and the process is in a very advance stage. Within 2023 this work is expected to be completed as per Chairman. Arora hoped that the work once completed will give a sigh of relief to commuters. 

Arora said during his meeting with the NHAI chairman, he observed that the NHAI is ready to spend huge funds on national highway projects in Punjab. However, NHAI is facing problems in taking possession of lands acquired for these projects due to one or another reason. 

Chairman also said It is a matter of concern that tolls barriers are non-functional at some places after protests by the farmers.

Meanwhile, Arora has assured the NHAI chairman that during his next visit to Ludhiana he will hold a meeting with concerned authorities and try to get the issues resolved being faced by the NHAI regarding obstacles in implementation of new projects.