PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Haridwar
The Kumbh mela officer Sonika inspected various construction projects underway for the Ardh Kumbh Mela 2027, assessing their quality and progress. During the inspection, she had the under-construction roads excavated to check the quality and thickness of the construction materials being used.
She stated that the mega religious congregation slated next year would be a global showcase of Uttarakhand’s cultural and spiritual richness as well as the state’s administrative capabilities. “Therefore, all construction work must be completed not just within the stipulated timeline but also strictly in accordance with high quality standards. So there is no room for negligence,” she stated.
She specially inspected the Bahadrabad-SIIDCUL four-lane road project, which is being developed from Bhaichara Dhaba to Shivalik Nagar Chowk via BHEL Barrier No 6 and also stressed on the speedy completion of the widening project of Prithviraj Chauhan Chowk. Further, she directed installation of roadside tiles and regular cleaning.
While inspecting the 60-meter span pre-stressed RCC bridge being constructed over the Pathri Roh river on the Jwalapur-Idgah-Subhashnagar PAC-Shivalik Nagar road, Sonika sounded displeased with the tardy pace of work on this bridge, which is being built at an estimated cost of Rs 9. 66 crore. She directed that construction be expedited and surrounding encroachments removed.
She also inspected the ongoing road widening and strengthening work from Patanjali Yogpeeth to Pherupur via Sahadevpur, Dinarpur and Subhashgarh. In this project worth approximately Rs 26.92 crore, the GSB layer was excavated to check its quality and thickness and the road width was also measured.
She directed the officials concerned to conduct regular third-party quality checks on all projects and ensure immediate corrective action for any deficiencies. “Road and bridge projects are crucial for the convenience of the hundreds of thousands of devotees likely to come for the Ardh Kumbh Mela. This aside, we must ensure smooth traffic management and the emergency services should be also kept ready,” she stressed.
Among the officers who accompanied the mela officer were the additional mela officer, Dayanand Saraswati and the executive engineer of the Public Works Department, Deepak Kumar.
