Chandigarh/Ludhiana, October 5
Addressing a long-standing demand of local residents, Punjab’s Minister for Power, Industry & Commerce, Investment Promotion, and NRI Affairs, Sanjeev Arora, inaugurated the first of four new bridges on the Sidhwan Canal towards South City in Ludhiana. The event was attended by Mayor Principal Inderjit Kaur, State Information Commissioner Harpreet Sandhu, Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain, and residents including Mridula Jain, Radhika Jaitwani, and Gagan Khanna, among others.
Bridge Project Details
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Inauguration Timeline: The first bridge, constructed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), was opened to traffic today. The second bridge is slated for inauguration within the next 10 days, with the remaining two to be completed within two months.
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Cost and Location: The four bridges, costing ₹16 crore, are located approximately 300 meters from the F2 Raceway Bridge and Barewal Bridge, on both sides of the Sidhwan Canal.
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Impact: These bridges are expected to significantly reduce traffic congestion in Ludhiana’s South City areas, where existing bridges were inadequate for the growing traffic volume.
Minister’s Remarks
Sanjeev Arora praised the NHAI for maintaining high construction quality and emphasized that the bridges will provide much-needed relief from traffic bottlenecks. He highlighted his efforts since becoming a Rajya Sabha MP in 2022, including multiple meetings with Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, the Secretary of MoRTH, and NHAI Chairpersons to address infrastructure concerns.
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Community and Official Responses
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Mayor Inderjit Kaur: Thanked Arora for his dedication to public service, crediting him for the realization of the four bridges. She noted that the growing localities along the Sidhwan Canal will benefit immensely from reduced traffic congestion.
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Harpreet Sandhu: Expressed gratitude for the bridge’s opening, stating it resolves significant traffic issues for residents.
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Mridula Jain: Recalled her involvement in the “Let’s Clean Ludhiana Fountain” initiative a decade ago, which focused on cleaning and bridge construction on the Sidhwan Canal. She thanked Arora for providing a permanent solution to the area’s traffic problems.
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DCP Rupinder: Briefed the minister on how the bridges will alleviate traffic congestion, enhancing mobility in the region.
Government’s Commitment
Arora reaffirmed the Punjab government’s commitment, under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, to delivering world-class infrastructure. He emphasized that no effort is being spared to meet this goal, ensuring enhanced connectivity and convenience for residents.
Attendees
Prominent attendees included Mayor Inderjit Kaur, State Information Commissioner Harpreet Sandhu, DC Himanshu Jain, DCP Rupinder, PD NHAI Priyanka Meena, Councillor Kapil Kumar Sonu, and AAP leaders Bittu Bhullar, Satwinder Singh Jawaddi, and Navdeep Navi, among others.
