The Times of India  13.08.2010

LUDHIANA: Reacting to the doubt of residents concerning the durability of Gill Chowk Flyover, the municipal corporation on Thursday claimed that the structure was absolutely safe and residents should ply on it without any hesitation. The condition of the flyover was highlighted in reports carried in Times of Ludhiana, after a portion of it caved in following Tuesday's night rain.

Citing the original design of the flyover to explain its construction, the MCjoint commissioner took the correspondents to the site. Referring to the July 17 cave-in towards Pratap Chowk, the official said they had given 66-metre temporary support to the structure to open it for the convenience of the public.

The Gill Chowk flyover is toatlly safe and the portion that had caved in at the temporary portion that would be merged with the Pratap Chowk flyover, said assistant commissioner MS Jaggi. He further said there was no problem with the works.

The deadline to complete Pratap Chowk flyover is September 2011, but the officials stated that they were trying to complete it by May or June. They would then lift the flyover around 2 metres from the temporary portion. Since they had to connect the Gill Chowk flyover with that in Pratap Chowk, they preferred building a temporary structure to avoid money wastage.

Taking up the August 1 incident, the officials admitted that the flyover had caved in at the meeting point of Dhuri Railway Over Bridge and Gill Chowk Flyover due to collection of water. Since they had to provide an up ramp in the left side of the flyover crossing Dhuri Over Bridge, they had not concretized the structure, they reasoned.

The officials also informed that the construction work of this up ramp would begin immediately after the rainy season as the finance and contract Committee (F&CC) has approved the plan.