The underpass of the Domoria railway bridge was closed for 3 months because the Railways initiated the track-doubling work right here on Monday. The essential underpass, which supplies direct connectivity between the previous metropolis and the civil traces will stay shut for the subsequent ninety days. The work on the bridge is part of the road doubling undertaking between Ludhiana and Mullanpur. The overall price of the undertaking is estimated to be round ₹300 crore, based on Abhinav Garg, deputy chief engineer of the Railways’ development wing.
The closed Domoria bridge in Ludhiana on Monday. (Manish/HT)
The date of shutting the underpass was postponed thrice. Initially, it was shut on November 20, then on November 25 after which on December 1. The delay, Garg mentioned, was because of the numerous departments concerned. Whereas the closure of the bridge has added to the commute time for the locals, the railway visitors will stay unaffected. Earlier than this, the doubling work has been accomplished on a minimum of eight crossing factors within the metropolis within the final couple of months.
The visitors police have issued a diversion plan to make sure the comfort of commuters. Six main diversion factors, together with previous vegetable market close to Kapoor Hospital, Mata Rani Chowk, Clock Tower Chowk, Deepak Cinema Chowk, Kailash Chowk and Gol Market Chowk close to Domoria bridge have been recognized by the visitors police. Commuters have been suggested to make use of the Lakkar Bridge–Previous Session Chowk route as a substitute. Whereas the diversion plan goals to streamline the visitors, officers warn of potential bottlenecks.
The Domoria bridge is a important hyperlink to a number of marketplaces, residential areas and enterprise hubs. Its closure is predicted to elongate journey occasions and trigger delays for every day commuters.
Shopkeepers and merchants close to the bridge have voiced their frustration, fearing a big drop of their enterprise. Tejwinder, an area dealer, mentioned, “If the bridge is closed, customers won’t reach us and we may have to shut our shops. Managing daily expenses will become a big challenge.”
The bridge additionally has storm sewers traces, which Garg mentioned could be linked to the drains through pumps within the interim.
Assistant commissioner of police (ACP, visitors) Jatin Bansal has appealed to residents to cooperate by adhering to the diversion tips, utilizing alternate routes and planning their journeys with extra journey time. “We have deployed extra police personnel at key points to ensure smooth traffic flow and minimize disruptions during this period,” he said.
The visitors police have additionally urged commuters to remain knowledgeable concerning the diversion updates and stay affected person because the bridge growth work progresses.