Zirakpur Alert: Harmilap Nagar Railway Underpass Work Stalled!
The construction of the Harmilap Nagar railway underpass (RUB-123) in Zirakpur, Chandigarh, has come to a complete standstill for the last six months. While the Chandigarh administration has already fulfilled its financial obligations, the project remains stuck in a deadlock, leaving thousands of commuters to battle daily traffic congestion.
Funds Transferred, But No Progress
One of the most baffling aspects of this delay is that the necessary funding has already been moved to the Railways. Documentation from the DRM office and the Chandigarh Engineering Department confirms that the financial side of the project is settled. The following payments were made:
- An initial payment of two crore rupees was released.
- An additional 4.40 crore rupees was approved by the Chief Secretary during a panel meeting and subsequently transferred to the Railways.
The Technical Bottleneck
Despite the funds being available, the project is currently halted as the Railways awaits official approval for the thrust bed and box design. Without this critical technical clearance, physical construction cannot move forward.
A False Sense of Hope for Residents
A few months ago, there were signs that work was finally beginning. The Railways had initiated site clearance using JCB machines and had delivered various construction materials, including gatka, to the location. Furthermore, containers intended for worker accommodation were installed on the Chandigarh side. These actions led local residents to believe that the Harmilap Nagar railway underpass construction would finally resolve the area's transit issues.
"The lack of advancement is causing immense frustration for everyone navigating this route daily," noted local residents.
The ongoing delay has turned the area into a major bottleneck. Local residents, including Prakash Chand Katoch, Vijay Gupta, Raju Vyas, Gaurav Goyal, and Ankit Garg, have expressed their deep frustration over the lack of physical progress, as the stalled project continues to cause persistent traffic jams