Villagers protest for underpass in Phagwara

Villagers today staged a dharna here, demanding an underpass at the Khalwaragate crossing on the Mehli-Mehtan Phagwara bypass to provide connectivity to about 45 villages with the city.

Zila Parishad member Harbhajan Khalwara, and sarpanches of Khalwara, Dhak Pandori, Fatehgarh and Balalon villages took part in the sit-in.

They alleged that due to the ongoing six-laning project of the Phagwara-Ropar Highway, crossings on a nine-km stretch of the bypass were being plugged, thus cutting the connectivity of a large number of villages with sub-divisional headquarter Phagwara.

This will cause inconvenience to villagers, especially students and patients coming to the city, they argued.

The protesters said they had earlier taken the issue up with local MLA Som Parkash and the company engaged in six-laning project, but to no avail.

Tehsildar Inderbir Singh Minhas, who reached the dharna site, asked the protesters to give their demand in writing so that it could be taken up with appropriate authorities.