A major infrastructure project aimed at improving traffic movement in Jalandhar is set to begin with laying of foundation stone for Garha Road Over Bridge (ROB) which is one of two railway over-bridge projects being launched in the city and together the two projects involve an investment of around ₹112 crore while the Garha Road project alone has been estimated to cost about ₹63.98 crore.
The new over bridge will be constructed at busy railway crossing near bus stand and PIMS Hospital area and the project is expected to provide a long term solution to traffic congestion caused by frequent railway gate closures at the crossing, thousands of commuters including students, office-goers, traders and local residents use this route every day.
According to approved plan Garha ROB will connect Bus Stand Chowk with Defence Colony turn near PIMS Hospital and once completed vehicles will be able to move over the railway tracks without having to stop at railway crossing during train movements. The bridge has been designed as a two-lane Road Over Bridge and will have an overall length of approximately 873 metres and railway authorities have planned the structure in a way that meets both present and future traffic requirements.
The bridge will include a central span of 36 metres over railway tracks and the remaining portion of the structure will consist of multiple spans supported by reinforced concrete piers and retaining walls. The longer approach of the bridge will be on the bus stand side where traffic volume is higher and this section will be around 643 metres long and will include 15 spans of 30 metres each while additional reinforced concrete structures and retaining walls will also be constructed to support smooth traffic movement.
On the Garha side, the bridge approach will be shorter, measuring approximately 230 metres and this section will include five spans of 30 metres each along with retaining walls to ensure a smooth transition between the bridge and the connecting roads and one of the important features of the project is that it has been planned without any acquisition of private property, officials have stated that alignment of the bridge has been carefully designed to avoid affecting nearby houses, commercial establishments and other private properties.
The project has also been planned to maintain connectivity to important areas around the route and access to Defence Colony, Baradari, Shopping Mall Road, Green Park and Radio Station Road is expected to remain available and the bridge will pass above the existing road network near Bhagwan Parshuram Chowk while allowing movement on roads below.
Apart from improving vehicle movement the project also includes facilities for pedestrians as service lanes will be provided on both sides of the bridge and special staircases for pedestrians have also been included in the design to improve accessibility and safety for people crossing railway corridor. Railway authorities have said that the bridge has been designed with future expansion in mind and even if additional railway tracks are added in coming years the structure is expected to remain functional without requiring major reconstruction.
Heavy machinery is expected to be installed soon to begin construction work and once completed the Garha Road Over Bridge is expected to become an important addition to Jalandhar's transport infrastructure, providing smoother traffic flow and improved connectivity across one of city's busiest railway crossings.
