New Chandigarh-Panchkula road to enhance connectivity, transform nearby sectors

Representative image

A new 1.59-kilometre road connecting Chandigarh and Panchkula is expected to be completed within the next four months, promising improved connectivity and a potential economic boost for nearby sectors. The stretch, which runs from near Sukhna Lake’s regulatory end to the IT Park, will primarily benefit Sectors 2, 3 and 7 in Panchkula, TOI reported.

According to officials cited by TOI from the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP), only 1 km of the road remains unfinished, with the portion starting from Dolphin Chowk already complete. The road is strategically positioned between Sector 7 on one side and Sectors 2 and 3 on the other.

“This road is part of the Panchkula development plan. Following this, various developmental projects will come up here,” an HSVP official told TOI. The area is expected to see a surge in independent housing, group housing societies, shopping complexes and parks, revitalising the local property market.

However, progress has been hampered for the past three years due to legal disputes and environmental concerns, including the presence of wildlife near Sukhna Lake. Complicating matters further, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change recently rejected Haryana’s proposal to designate a 1-km protected zone around the lake. Instead, it declared an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) spanning 1 km to 2.035 km around the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary on Panchkula’s side.

The ESZ covers approximately 24.6 square kilometres (over 6,000 acres), encompassing parts of Sectors 1, 2 and 3, including the Gymkhana Club. While the new road is poised to accelerate urban growth, the ESZ ruling may influence future land use and development permissions in the area.