Zirakpur Bypass Project Moves Closer to Completion

                After an 11-year wait, the Zirakpur bypass project will finally see the light of day, as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has invited bids for the construction of the six-lane 
bypass to ease traffic congestion in Zirakpur.
The bids will be opened on December 3. The project, likely to cost nearly ₹1,329 crore, will provide an alternative route to commuters going to Shimla from Ambala side.
During a recent meeting of the 23-member Unified Metro Transportation Authority (UMTA), chaired by UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, the NHAI delivered a presentation on the 
project.
The NHAI stated that a plan has been prepared to construct a bypass connecting Zirakpur and Panchkula. The route will provide a direct connection to the traffic heading to Himachal 
Pradesh, thereby reducing congestion in the tricity.
Moreover, it is strategically important as it will offer signal-free connectivity from the Chandimandir Western Command headquarters to the Chandigarh airport.
Spanning nearly 19.2 km in Punjab and Haryana, the bypass will start from junction with NH-7 on Zirakpur-Patiala road and end at junction with NH-5 on the Zirakpur-Parwanoo road.
It will cross McDonald’s on Ambala-Zirakpur highway and pass through Peer Muchalla, Sanoli, Gazipur, Nagla and Panchkula, before merging with the Zirakpur-Parwanoo road.
An official said the project, a part of the ring road to be developed around Chandigarh, will remove traffic bottlenecks from several places in Zirakpur and Chandigarh, including the 
Zirakpur-Patiala light point, Big Bazaar traffic lights, K Area point and Airport Road lights, etc.
To further reduce travel time for Himachal Pradesh residents coming to the PGIMER, the NHAI is all set to construct a four-lane road from Majri Chowk in Mullanpur to Baddi via 
Siswan.
The 18-km stretch is also part of the ring road to be constructed around Chandigarh to decongest traffic. Presently, motorists have to manoeuvre through a single road from Baddi to 
New Chandigarh to reach PGIMER.
During the meeting, the NHAI had highlighted that the rapid development of Mohali, Zirakpur and Panchkula around Chandigarh had led to a significant increase in traffic. Further, 
Dera Bassi, Kharar, Morinda, New Chandigarh and Pinjore had also developed as suburbs. The official added that six projects were under the execution stage, while the DPR of one 
projects was being prepared.



Source : Hindustan Times