Sources, however, say besides facilitating the residents of Shastri Nagar the bridge was especially approved at the insistence of Charanjit Singh Atwal, Deputy Speaker, Lok Sabha.

Noticeably, Atwal’s residence and all his commercial properties, which have been rented out these days, are in vicinity.

Sources said the MC was earlier planning a rail overbridge (ROB) for the site. That would have, however, affected the business of the commercial properties in the market. The proposal was then changed and finally a RUB was finalised for the Shastri Nagar rail crossing. The project has also been approved by the Railways but tenders are yet to be called for the project.

Atwal also arranged meetings between the MC and Railways officials three times in one month not only to push talks about the ROB at Shastri Nagar but the Lakkar Bridge and few other ROBs in the city. Otherwise, the civic body officials were not able to meet the rail officials, sources confirmed.

Speaking to Newsline, the Deputy Speaker confirmed that his house and commercial properties were in the vicinity of the ROB. “The underbridge will be in the interest of the entire market and not only me. Hence, one should look at the positive aspect of the project. When the project was being planned, we took feedback of the entire market and most of the shopkeepers said they were not in the favour of an overbridge.”