Railways told to open crossing

Deputy Commissioner Dr Himanshu Aggarwal convened a high-level meeting on Monday to address serious concerns over construction deficiencies in the railway underpass project at the Urban Estate Railway Crossing C-7.

In the presence of senior officials from the Municipal Corporation, Railways and Commissionerate Police, the Deputy Commissioner issued firm instructions to the Municipal Corporation to submit a detailed compliance report within two days. The report must verify whether the construction was carried out as per established safety and quality norms. Noting multiple lapses in the execution of the project, Dr Aggarwal directed the railway authorities to keep the crossing open until all shortcomings are rectified. “The work has not been completed within the stipulated timeline, nor does it adhere to the prescribed standards,” he said.

Emphasising the public inconvenience caused by the ongoing issues, Dr Aggarwal warned that delays or negligence in rectifying the faults would not be tolerated. “Development projects are meant for the benefit of the public, and there can be no compromise on quality,” he said. “All departments must ensure that work is executed to standard and within the timeframe.”

Also present at the meeting were Municipal Corporation Commissioner Gautam Jain, Joint Commissioner Rakesh Kumar, ACP Roopdeep Kaur and SDM Randeep Singh Heer, among other officials.

The Deputy Commissioner’s intervention comes amid growing public dissatisfaction over the closure and condition of the railway crossing, a key route for residents of Urban Estate and surrounding areas. The residents on Saturday have also announced a Rail Roko Andolan, if their demand of opening the railway crossing goes unmet.

Jalandhar