Randhawa leads protest against NHAI, demands construction of flyover from Kunjwani to Narwal on pillars

STATE TIMES NEWS

JAMMU: Locals and traders staged a protest against the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) on the Narwal-Kunjwani Bye Pass road.
Hundreds gathered, expressing frustration over what they perceive as NHAI’s disregard for their concerns.
Former Legislator and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vikram Randhawa joined the protest, emphasizing the community’s discontent.
Randhawa denounced the construction of a flyover on blind walls, arguing it would adversely impact the livelihoods of approximately 10 lakh people. He acknowledged the commendable development efforts of the Narendra Modi-led Central Government but insisted that projects causing public resentment should be halted immediately.
Randhawa referenced a similar issue in Bari Brahmana, where a flyover was demolished due to similar concerns affecting local livelihoods.
He demanded that the flyover from Kunjwani to Narwal be constructed on pillars instead of blind walls, echoing the sentiments of the protesting traders.
The traders voiced their opposition to NHAI’s construction plans, which are part of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway project.
They stressed that constructing the flyover on blind walls would harm their trade activities and urged NHAI to adhere to their request to build it on pillars instead. Despite meeting with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and securing assurances, they lamented NHAI’s failure to heed these directives.
The traders demanded for NHAI to immediately halt the construction and reconsider their approach. He warned of escalating the protest by further blocking the highway if NHAI continued to disregard their concerns.
The situation underscores ongoing tensions between infrastructure development initiatives and local community interests, highlighting the challenges of balancing economic progress with community welfare in large-scale projects.