Stone laid for flyover outside New Amritsar locality, to connect East, South segments

Minister for Public Works Department (PWD) Harbhajan Singh ETO today laid the foundation stone of a new flyover to be built outside Bhai Gurdas Ji Nagar (New Amritsar locality), connecting the East and South Assembly constituencies of the city. The flyover, to be constructed along the Amritsar-Jalandhar highway, will be developed at an estimated cost of Rs 39.85 crore.

ETO stated that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann had given administrative approval for the project with a sanctioned amount of Rs 59.53 crore. However, after the tendering process, the project was awarded at a 28 per cent lower cost, saving nearly Rs 20 crore of public funds. “This is people’s hard-earned money and no misuse of it will be tolerated,” he emphasised. Appealing to the public, the minister encouraged citizens to report any irregularities observed during construction, asserting that negligence in development work would not be tolerated.

The minister stated that the flyover had been a long-standing demand of local residents to resolve persistent traffic congestion. The project, which is expected to be completed within 24 months, will include a 540-metre-long and 21.5-meter-wide flyover, along with 10.5-metre-wide service roads on both sides. Proper drainage systems will also be installed to prevent waterlogging during rains.

Additionally, the minister announced that construction of the fourth side of Bohru Bridge would begin soon, with Rs 61.50 crore already sanctioned for the project.

Addressing the gathering, Amritsar South MLA Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar highlighted the government’s transparent approach. “Earlier, tender savings were limited to just 2 per cent, but our government has achieved 28 per cent savings, proving our commitment to honest governance,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ajnala MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal congratulated the minister and noted that the new flyover would ease traffic woes and benefit pilgrims visiting the city. Eastern constituency MLA Jeevanjot Kaur expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for addressing the decades-old demand of the people, assuring that there would be no compromise in the development of the eastern region.

Other dignitaries present included Amritsar West MLA Dr Jasbir Singh Sandhu, Mayor Jatinder Singh Moti Bhatia, Improvement Trust Chairman Karamjit Singh Rintu, Majitha constituency in-charge Talbir Singh, Baba Bakala MLA Dalbir Singh Taug, and others.

Amritsar