NHAI to demolish 'illegal' bridge leading to Punjab Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu's house

Sources said that the NHAI has pasted a demolition notice on the bridge declaring it illegal.

Amritsar: The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) have proposed to demolish a bridge leading to Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu's house in Punjab's Amritsar, sources said on Saturday. It is learnt that the NHAI has issued orders for the demolition of the bridge built across a narrow drain along the approach road to the residential colony where Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu's house stands.

The NHAI has also pasted a demolition notice on the bridge, declaring it unsafe and illegal. The NHAI has said that the bridge across the Tung Dab Drain passing along the main road leading to the Attari border has been built illegally without the permission of the concerned department. Sources said that in the year 2004, the concerned department received a complaint regarding this illegal bridge.

Following the complaint, the authorities ordered a probe which was never completed. According to media reports, the department officials informed the Executive Engineer, Amritsar Jal Vikas Mandal on 15 June 2004 about the illegality of the bridge, but surprisingly, no action has been taken by the department in this matter for twenty years.

There are also allegations that the builder of the residential colony did not intimate the house owners about the illegality of the bridge. It is learnt that Holy City Township Association has filed a case against the builder for defrauding the government and people and demanded his arrest. The development is said to be a setback for Congress leader Navjot Sidhu.

There was no immediate reaction by the Punjab Congress leader following the demolition orders by the NHAI.