Road widening in Bijnor to resume after 5-mnth halt

Harveer DabasBijnor: The road widening project between Bijnor and Daranagar Ganj, stalled for nearly five months, is set to resume after the forest ministry issued a no-objection certificate (NOC).Officials said the Bijnor-Badaun state highway, currently about seven metres wide, will be expanded to 10 metres. The proposal, sent by the PWD last year, was approved by Uttar Pradesh govt for a 10-km stretch at an estimated cost of Rs 18 crore.Work had begun earlier but was halted after objections from the forest department over the project’s proximity to the Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary. PWD executive engineer Hemant Pratap Singh said, “The department has now secured forest clearance for phase-1 of the project, and construction will resume shortly.”Residents welcomed the development, citing frequent traffic congestion and accidents on the narrow road. Sumit Beniwal from Shahpur village said, “The widening of the road had been a long-pending demand, as thousands of vehicles ply on this route daily, leading to jams during peak hours. The project would benefit over 40 villages.”Another resident, Pradeep Chaudhary of Sikandari village, said improved road connectivity would also boost access to Vidurkuti, believed to be the mythological site mentioned in the Mahabharat.