Residents and shopkeepers in Guru Nanak Pura staged a protest on Monday i.e. 20th July, against the proposed Railway Over-bridge (ROB), shutting down the entire market in opposition to the project.
Redevelopment projects in Punjab
One of the protesters said that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the redevelopment of 75 railway stations across the country, including the recently inaugurated ₹125-crore Jalandhar Cantonment Railway Station, the proposed over-bridge at Guru Nanak Pura would severely impact local businesses.
Ravneet Bittu’s visit
He said that just a week before the railway station's inauguration, Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu inaugurated the Gadha and Guru Nanak Pura over-bridge projects. During the event, local residents had appealed to the minister to replace the proposed over-bridge with an underpass.
Why ROB should be replaced with underpass
The protesters pointed to the over-bridge on Nangal Shama Road, claiming that it had adversely affected more than 300 shopkeepers, disrupted businesses, and blocked access to several residential properties. They argued that constructing another over-bridge at the Guru Nanak Pura railway crossing, located barely half a kilometre away, would similarly devastate the local market.
The shopkeepers said they have been running their businesses in the area for years and urged the authorities to construct an underpass instead of an over-bridge to protect their livelihoods. They also stated that BJP leader Ravinder Dhir has written to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, requesting that the proposed ROB be reconsidered and replaced with an underpass.
Local resident Anita Arora said the construction of the ROB could cause significant financial losses to traders. She maintained that an underpass would provide a better solution without affecting business activity. She also expressed concern that spaces beneath over-bridges often become gathering spots for drug addicts, increasing the risk of snatching and creating security concerns for nearby residents.
Another elderly resident participating in the protest said that the demonstration was being held to oppose the construction of the over-bridge. He demanded that if the ROB is ultimately built, the Municipal Corporation should waive property tax, water bills, and other local taxes for shopkeepers and residents for the next three years to compensate for the disruption.
He further said that the over-bridge would create difficulties for children commuting to schools and colleges, while an underpass could be constructed without causing such problems. According to him, the proposed ROB would cripple businesses, resulting in losses worth crores of rupees. He claimed that residents would be left with no option but to face extreme financial distress, which is why the local community has united to protest against the project.
Appeal to the government
One of the shopkeepers said, if Guru Nanak Pura can unite and make a government, if their demands are not fulfilled, it would not take time in turning the votes. He further mentioned that the residents are very thankful for the investment of 50-60 crore in Guru Nanak Pura but the only demand made is of development of an underpass instead of an ROB.
