Urban News

The 700-metre ramp to connect the old city with the elevated road and the Jagraon Bridge was finally inaugurated by Local Bodies Minister Manoranjan Kalia today. The project cost, however, escalated from Rs 1 crore to Rs 3 crore from the date of planning till its execution.

The ramp will start from Lakshmi Cinema side to join the elevated road. The facility for residents of the city comes four years after the inauguration of the Rs 58 crore-elevated road project.

The ramp was planned in 2006, when the elevated road was inaugurated by the then chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, with a project cost of Rs 1 crore. However, the work started last year only and the project cost escalated to 200 per cent in two years.

On average, the cost escalation is between 10 to 15 per cent in two years. Commissioner A K Sinha said, “Some structural changes in designs were made and hence the new estimate was made which came out to be more expensive. The upramp is 16-foot wide and will decongest traffic.”

Whether the structural changes can bring the cost escalation to 200 per cent is still a question mark. Meanwhile, elevated road was to be joined by five legs at different points, but so far it has been joined only at one point and there are no plans for any more changes. 

On the occasion, Kalia said, “After starting e-tendering in the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation, we are all set to start this in all the municipal corporations and municipal committees of the state. MoU with private consultant will be signed for making the software for e-tendering.”

Kalia further answering to the media queries said, “BJP is committed to protect its urban vote bank.” Talking about the demands of the three-member committee of BJP which were raised before the CM, Kalia said so far only one demand of roll back of electricity tariff has been accepted and the roll back will start from July onwards.