JALANDHAR
Taking serious note of the slow progress in the construction of Dakota Vehicle Underpass (VUP) which is causing traffic snarls on the busy Jalandhar-Panipat national highway, Deputy Commissioner Vishesh Sarangal on Tuesday gave a deadline of 15 days to build service lanes across VUP to ensure smooth flow of traffic.
Chairing a meeting with NHAI officials in the district administrative complex, the Deputy Commissioner said that it was disheartening to see long traffic jams at this particular junction due to the carelessness of the agency carrying out the work.
He said that the project was already moving at a snail’s pace and due to potholed servicer lanes, the commuters were harried a lot.
He made it clear that such kind of attitude would not be tolerated at any cost and ordered NHAI to immediately press the concerned agency to construct the service lanes in the next fortnight.
He said that the administration would take strong action if any mishap occurred on the stretch due to the potholed servicer lanes after the deadline.
Later, NHAI officials told the Deputy Commissioner that notice had been issued to the concerned agency and a team had been deputed to supervise the work to ensure timely completion.
Deputy Commissioner Vishesh Sarangal said that a joint visit of the administration and NHAI would conduct a physical inspection of the site on October 4.
Meanwhile, Sarangal also directed the officials for speedy disbursement of land acquisition compensation at the earliest under various NHAI projects including the six-lane Jalandhar bypass, Amritsar-Bathinda projects, Delhi-Katra Expressway, and asked them to settle the compensation cases soon to avoid further delay in these projects.
He told them to work in unison with NHAI to speed up the work so that economic activities get a major push with the completion of these key projects.
He said that these projects were of national importance and would help to ease out the traffic congestion, promote tourism, and road safety, and enhance employment opportunities.