No flyover over Shamli bypass, farmers protest against NHAI
senior Samajwadi Party leader Prof Sudheer Panwar, who led the protest, explained that several important national highways including Delhi-Saharanpur, Karnal-Meerut, Dehradun-Delhi, Panipat-Khatima and Ambala-Gorakhpur passed through Shamli and to connect these highways, Shamli bypass of 30.5 km was under construction as part of Bharatmala project. He said the NHAI had not provided any flyovers and passes for safe passage to five crossings of existing roads and accidents occurred when the bypass was opened for testing.
MEERUT Farmers of Shamli district are up in arms against the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for not providing adequate flyover and passes to them during construction of highways and city bypass, which they cite as a danger to their lives.
A few days ago, the angry farmers stageda dharna to raise the issue and sent a memorandum to transport minister Nitin Gadkari in support of their demands.
Former member of State Planning Commission and senior Samajwadi Party leader Prof Sudheer Panwar, who led the protest, said, “ Farmers of the area protested for safety of their lives which are at stake due to faulty design and planning of highways being constructed by the NHAI, as there is no flyover over the Shamli bypass” Pawar claimed that the union transport minister also directed officials concerned to resolve the issue and ensure safety of villagers before opening the roads for traffic.
Panwar explained that Shamli experienced frequent traffic jams because of expansion of the city. Several important national highways including Delhi-Saharanpur, Karnal-Meerut, Dehradun-Delhi, Panipat-Khatima and Ambala-Gorakhpur passed through Shamli and to connect these highways, Shamli bypass of 30.5 km was under construction as part of Bharatmala project.
He said the NHAI had not provided any flyovers and passes for safe passage to five crossings of existing roads and accidents occurred when the bypass was opened for testing.
Farmers said that road safety was the responsibility of the government and NHAI and demanded that traffic should not be allowed on the road without ensuring safety provisions.
They demanded construction of flyovers and passages to ensure safety of villagers and warned that the administration and NHAI would be held responsible if they opened the road without ensuring safety of people.
Additional district magistrate (ADM) of Shamli Santosh Singh met the protesting farmers and assured that the issues would be resolved soon.
Project director of NHAI P K Sinha said that approval of flyovers had been given and assured that the road would be opened for traffic only after completing all security measures.
