Rudrapur ring road nears completion, trial run likely after March 20

Rudrapur: After nearly four years of construction, the ring road in the industrial city of Rudrapur is nearing completion, with authorities planning a trial run after March 20. The 20.5-km-long four-lane road, for which residents had been raising demands since 2020, is expected to ease traffic congestion in the city and improve connectivity for industrial transport.In 2022, the Public Works Department (PWD) prepared a project blueprint, but the proposal remained stalled for some time as the state govt did not release funds required for the physical survey.The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) later took over the project and prepared a detailed plan along the outer areas of the city. Construction began after the state govt approved a budget of Rs 1,100 crore. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami monitored the progress of the project, while the district administration and other officials periodically reviewed the work.Officials said the ring road will pass through the outer parts of Rudrapur and connect 12 villages. It will link National Highway-74 near Shimla Pistaur and Malsa villages and further extend to Temri village in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. From there, the road will cross NH-74 again within Rudrapur and extend towards Bhagwanpur and Chhatarpur before joining National Highway-87.Local MLA Shiv Arora said the road would benefit the city's industrial sector, particularly the SIDCUL industrial area. "At present, heavy vehicles heading to SIDCUL are not allowed to enter the city between 7 am and 10 pm, forcing them to remain parked for long hours after loading goods. With the ring road, these vehicles will be able to bypass the city and reach their destinations without entering congested urban areas," he said.District magistrate Nitin Singh Bhadauria said construction of the ring road was about 95% complete. "The govt aims to start traffic on the road at the earliest, and the entire administration is working towards this goal," he said.