Chandigarh, April 24 -- Almost 13 years after conceptualising the high-level (four-lane) bridge over the Sukhna Choe connecting Manimajra and Sector 26, the UT administration approved the project on Thursday. Estimated to cost Rs.16.63 crore, the work on 500-metre long and 26.6-metre wide project is expected to begin by July after a tendering process, with a construction deadline of 12 months, officials said. Envisaged in 2013 under the Chandigarh Master Plan (CMP-2031), the all-weather bridge will bring relief to commuters as the existing low-level causeway faces frequent traffic congestion and often gets submerged during monsoons. The 13.40-metre-wide causeway acts as a crucial crossing but remains inadequate compared to the four-lane approach roads on either side, drawing heavy daily traffic from Manimajra, IT Park and Mansa Devi Complex towards key institutions such as the Punjab and Haryana High Court and Sukhna Lake. The narrow structure is marred by severe traffic congestion during peak hours. In July 2023, flooding caused a significant damage to the structure, forcing its closure for several days and triggering massive traffic jams across alternate routes, such as Madhya Marg. In subsequent monsoons as well, multiple causeways across the Sukhna Choe were submerged. The stretch is also plagued by safety concerns as its railings were washed away during heavy rains. Over the past year, the UT engineering department had prepared multiple designs for the four-lane bridge to replace the causeway, with provisions for pedestrian and cycling infrastructure in line with the city's mobility plans. The project also underwent scrutiny from planning and heritage bodies, given Chandigarh's regulated urban framework. The approved bridge will have dual carriageways (two lanes on each side). Each carriageway is about 9.5 metres wide, aligned with the existing four-lane approach roads so vehicles will no longer be forced into bottleneck at the crossing point, which has been a major issue. On both sides of the bridge, there will be 2.5-metre-wide footpath-cum-cycle tracks. These are separated from the main carriageway by crash barriers and RCC railings (likely to occupy 2.6 metres) The all-weather bridge will have two spans of 28.5 metres each, built using reinforced cement concrete (RCC) and precast technology. Of the Rs.16.63-crore cost, Rs.6.98 crore has been earmarked for the bridge viaduct, Rs.4.57 crore for approach works, Rs.3.95 crore for roads, junctions and allied infrastructure, and Rs.27 lakh for protection works....