To pave way for the much-awaited work on four-laning of “killer stretch” of the National Highway-21 between Mohali and Kharar, as many as 173 permanent structures on both sides of the highway have been issued demolition orders.
Parts of several mega townships, SDM office, judicial courts and tehsil complexes, ESI Hospital , number of shops and residences within the limits of Kharar Municipal Council (MC) were identified as encroachments during the demarcation undertaken by the Revenue department and Public Works department’s Central Works Division (CWD).
These encroachments are coming in the way of the four-laning project, which was earlier grounded due to electricity poles, trees and other public utilities standing on the area earmarked for four-laning.
Recently, most electricity poles, overhead electricity wires, trees and other public utilities causing obstruction were removed, following which the work was resumed but only to hit roadblock once again due to these illegal structures. The 4.14-km stretch of one of the busiest national highways connecting Chandigarh with major parts of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir via Mohali and Kharar was being decongested at a cost of Rs 12.49 crore but the work was getting delayed due to indifference of the Forest department and PSEB authorities in shifting their respective utilities.
It was after the PWD officials and the private contractor, who was assigned the work, threatened the departments concerned to seek damages and costs for delaying the project that the officials concerned initiated the work. Recently, 275 permanent structures dotting the NH-21 and NH-95 outside the municipal limits were issued demolition orders.
Part of the Dream Weave Walk Network 1998-2010