Sidhwan Canal’s 4 Bridges to restart on 12th October after closure of canal: MP Arora

Punjab News: The work of construction of four bridges over the Sidhwan Canal here, will be restarted in October this year after closure of canal for a total 31 days.

Giving this information here on Friday, MP (Rajya Sabha) from Ludhiana Sanjeev Arora said the Department of Water Resources, Punjab, on July 30, 2024 has issued a notification mentioning that keeping in mind the weather and the condition of the crops, there will be a total closure of 31 days from October 12, 2024 to November 11, 2024 (both days inclusive) to complete the construction of bridges and cleaning of the Sidhwan Canal. Keeping in view demand of water for agriculture it was not possible to shut Canal earlier.

He said he had met Krishna Kumar, Principal Secretary, Department of Water Resources, Punjab, requesting him to close the Sidhwan Canal for a few days so that construction work of four bridges could be done by the contractor concerned. He added the four bridges are being constructed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) at a cost of about Rs.16 Crore.

Arora said he has been apprised by the NHAI Project Director Ludhiana Navratan that so far about 15 per cent work of the bridges has been completed. Of the total construction work of these bridges, 30 per cent work is to be done below the water level and 70 per cent work is to be done above the water level.  As such, it is necessary to close the canal to complete the construction work below the water level. He hoped that the work of construction of the four bridges will be completed in June next year.

The four bridges are being constructed from 300 meters away from F2 Raceway bridge (both on right and left sides) and 300 meters away from Barewal bridge (both on right and left sides). The project of these bridges was started on an initiative of Arora who made several efforts and took up this matter with the NHAI Chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav. Finally, acceding to the Arora’s requests, the project was given approval by the NHAI.

Many Ludhiana residents had approached Arora to take an initiative to get this project started as it was the need of the hour to provide a relief to commuters from traffic congestions.

Arora hoped that the bridges once constructed would decongest huge traffic congestion in the South City area. He said a large number of commercial establishments such as hotels, restaurants etc besides housing complexes are coming up on both sides of the Sidhwan Canal. As a result, commercial and other activities are growing at a fast pace in this area, resulting to which traffic has increased manifold.  He hoped that there would be a drastic change in the vehicular traffic after the work of constructing four bridges over the Sidhwan Canal is completed.