The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is set to open technical bids on January 16, with the award of work expected by next month.

Zirakpur Traffic Relief: Rs 1,878-Cr Bypass Gets Final "Green Light" from Ministry

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has granted the final Stage-2 forest clearance for the much-awaited Zirakpur-Panchkula bypass. This marks a major breakthrough for the Tricity’s infrastructure.

According to a report, the INR 1,878.31 crore project had been stuck in a bureaucratic logjam for more than nine months, but the recent approval by the ministry’s Integrated Regional Office in Chandigarh has finally cleared the path for the award of work.

The final clearance was issued following formal consent from the Punjab Forests Minister, acting on the recommendation of the Forests Secretary. 

The 19.2 km long, six-lane bypass is designed to decongest the chronically choked NH-5 and NH-7 corridors, diverting heavy interstate traffic away from the Zirakpur traffic lights and the Panchkula gateway. 

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari emphasised that this flagship project under the PM Gati Shakti plan will significantly cut travel time for commuters heading toward Himachal Pradesh, Ambala, and the Chandigarh airport.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is set to open technical bids on January 16, with the award of work expected by next month. 

The project is now poised to move from paper to ground, promising long-awaited relief from daily traffic gridlocks and rising pollution across Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula.

Source: The Tribune