Title - Project cost escalates to Rs 58 crore in 15 yrs

Ludhiana : The much-hyped Lakkar Bridge project is hanging fire since 1997. It’s a clear reflection of the sad state of affairs in the state government as well as the Railways that even after 15 years a civic project that was aimed at reducing traffic congestion in the city remains incomplete. Ironically, even the cost of project has escalated from Rs 13 crore to Rs 58 crore.This project to construct a railway overbridge in place of the 105-year-old Lakkar Bridge was floated in 1997. Owing to technical glitches in planning, the project remained stalled for over a decade and the work restarted on November 27, 2009.The Y-shaped bridge would have one portion near Raikhy Cinema Chowk and the other in front of Bhadaur House. The bridge would provide easier access from the old city to the newly developed areas.Even as the up ramp and down ramps on both side of the project were completed within time, the portion to be constructed on top of the railway tracks has been hanging fire.During the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation’s General House meeting held on November 28, 2011, the then MC Commissioner, AK Sinha, had told the House that the Lakkar Bridge project would be complete by February 15. “I am personally in touch with the chief engineer of the Railways regarding this project and he has assured me that the project would get complete by February 15,” Sinha had claimed.Perturbed over the delay in completion of the Lakkar Bridge project, the Deputy Commissioner had shot a demi official (DO) letter to the Chief Engineer of the Northern Railways in March, asking them to speed up the work, else they would be responsible for the delay.

Mayor Hakam Singh Giaspura and the then Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) chairman Ashok Juneja had formally inaugurated the stalled Lakkar Bridge project on November 29, 2009, and at that time, they had claimed that it would be completed by June 2011. Later, a deadline of August 2011 was fixed, which was extended to October 2011 and later to December 2011, then to February this year and this time it has been extended to December 31.