CoE sends Legal Notice to Highway Ministry, Nhai & DC, Ludhiana For Investigation of Poor Construction at NH...

Chandigarh: 2nd Feb'19: Today, Council of Engineers through Advocate Sh. H.C. Arora has served legal notice to Highway Ministry, NHAI & DC Ludhiana for investigation on Poor Workmanship & major Structural flaws in Construction of Flyover Bridge at Samrala Chowk, Ludhiana, missing Footpaths as well as incomplete Rain Water Drains along Road side from Giaspura Chowk to Jalandhar Bye-pass Chowk Ludhiana at National Highway (NH-1) & also to initiate remedial measures for safety of commuters on this deadly stretch of Road.

Er. Kapil Arora, President, Council of Engineers said that good roads and footpath are fundamental rights of Citizens of India and it is the state government's statutory obligation to provide roads which are free of potholes and it has been affirmed by Hon’ble High Court of Mumbai last year. However, the construction work of NH-1 at Ludhiana district is at halt and the construction which has been done by SOMA Isolux Company is of substandard quality. 

The Road side rain water collecting Drains are incomplete with Vertical Reinforcement laying open which can cause fatal injury to commuters or damage their vehicles at any time. The drains are filled with mud and other waste materials and the PVC Pipe of recharge wells which have been provided in the drains are blocked due to improper design & non-maintenance by the company. The Company has given blind eye to all serious issues and is busy in collecting hefty toll tax from the commuters.

Col. Shri Ram Bakshi, Sr. Vice President said that as per provisions of IRC SP 102 -2014 for Crash Barriers, the friction slab is required to be constructed to transfer the lateral loads of vehicles on crash barriers. However the crash barriers at all the flyovers constructed by SOMA Isolux Company have no such provision.

Further permeable non-woven geo-textile sheet has not been used to separate the fine backfill materials and drainage materials due to which the soil and filter materials are falling out from RE Walls of Samrala Chowk as well as other flyovers continuously resulting into hollow space in flyovers which may cause sudden settlement as well as failure of RE Walls.

NHAI

 Er. Kulwant Singh Rai, Sr. Vice President said that since the Pre cast panels of RE Walls of Flyover at Samrala Chowk, Ludhiana are not properly fixed with each other, all the RE Walls of this flyover have deformed vertically as well as horizontally beyond their permissible limits. Various structural cracks have developed in many pre-cast panels of this flyover due to sub-standard material used by the construction Company.

The flyover is just 3-4 years old but large number of structural flaws have developed due to substandard & Faulty Construction of this flyover at Samrala Chowk, Ludhiana. Er. Sanjay Verma, General Secretary said that the recharge wells provided in the road side drains are not properly designed, they remain chocked at all the time. The rain water gets accumulated in the drains for many days resulting into mosquito breeding due to which there remains a high risk of epidemic like Dengue, Malaria etc. to residents of nearby localities.

 Er. Mohit Jain said that after inspection from time to time in last eight months and despite sending two complaints in writing to the recipients by association, no remedial measures have been initiated by the concerned officials. but the concerned departments have given a blind eye to it. It seems that there is no value of life of citizens of India for such irresponsible concerned authorities. 

Er. Sunil Puri, Vice President said that the SOMA Isolux Company who is having responsibility of construction and maintenance of entire stretch from Jalandhar to Panipat is least bothered about the completion & maintenance of project. Lots of trees and wild vegetation have grown on side RE walls of Flyover at Jalandhar Bye-pass, Shivpuri Chowk, Samrala Chowk as will as various other locations result into weakening of RE walls in near future.

The mammals have made their nests in RE Walls due to broken Pre-Cast RCC Panels of Samrala Chowk but the Company is busy in collecting hefty toll tax only and least bothered about the lives of commuters. Er. Satwant Singh, Joint Secretary said that the provision of footpaths along NH-1 at Ludhiana is missing and commuters are made to walk on the roads risking their lives daily. The Flyover at Samrala Chowk Ludhiana constructed by SOMA Isolux Co. is a threat to lives of Commuters & Passer-bys.

Er. Arora further added that we have demanded an investigation on role of NHAI Engineers who allowed such defects and flaws in construction of entire stretch of 291 KM done by SOMA Isolux Company. We have given time of 15 days to initiate all remedial measures to remove all defects and flaws which are against Article 21 of Constitution of India. The toll collections should be dis-continued till the citizens gets their fundamental right of Good Roads and Footpaths. In case, no steps are initiated, we will file Public Interest litigation in Hon’ble High Court of Punjab & Haryana to safeguard our fundamental rights.