Title - Punjab Infrastructure Development Board's delay holds up Rs 40 crore railway overbridge project

JALANDHAR: Amid tall claims about adequate funds for infrastructure development, a Rs 40-crore project of road overbridge on railway crossing near Science City on Jalandhar-Kapurthala road has hit a roadblock.While railways has already started work for constructing the span of bridge over its track, Punjab PWD has not even invited tenders for allotting the project yet.Sources revealed that PWD did not invite tenders as Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB), which is to provide funds for the project, is yet to give green signal for the project due to paucity of funds.Railway sources said that this lack of synchronization between railways and Punjab government agencies would have long term ramifications for the project and can even delay the project and escalate its cost, apart from inconvenience to public. Engineers of PWD and railways revealed that for any project of ROB on a railway line, the work should be first started by PWD, which has to provide alternate passages before beginning the project, and railways has also to block the crossing for executing the project."Pile testing for erecting the pillars of the bridge has already started and after some time, we need to block the crossing. But before that, Punjab government agencies should provide alternate passages. Any delay in this would force us to give extension to the contractor, which would result in cost escalation. This would complicate the entire exercise and the project can witness several technical and financial troubles," said a senior railway official."We held joint meetings with PWD and it was recorded in writing that they will invite tenders in September and we in November and work on diversions would start in December. We went as per these decisions and commitments, but now we find ourselves in a piquant situation," he added.PIDB managing director Anurag Aggarwal said that some drawings were yet to be finalized. Asked about the financial reasons, he held that a call on that had to be taken by the executive committee of the board and that he could tell only about the drawings issue.However, his explanation apparently flies in the face of facts revealed by Punjab government and railway officials. "Several meetings were held between PWD and railway engineers at senior levels and after working out all technical details like complete design, type of pillars, length of spans, etc., the project cost is worked out. After preparing and agreeing on final drawings, the matter goes to Railway Board which then approves it and work starts," said a state government official.