Even as the Chandigarh Administration moves to formally award the Rs 247-crore Tribune flyover project to its lowest bidder, the proposal faces fresh and formidable resistance, in the courtroom, from the drawing board, and from within the city’s own planning establishment.The Punjab and Haryana High Court is closely monitoring the matter, with petitioners mounting a multi-pronged challenge against the project on grounds ranging from large-scale tree felling and master plan violations to questions of transparency in the evaluation of alternative designs.The overloop alternativeCity-based architects and urban planners Pearl Ahluwalia and Aashray Ahuja, Directors of URap (Urban Research and Architecture Practice), have proposed an alternative called “The Overloop” — an elevated rotary over the existing Tribune Chowk roundabout that they claim would segregate traffic across two levels, enable continuous signal-free movement and increase traffic capacity by nearly 50 per cent, while requiring the felling of only 65 trees against an estimated 700 under the current flyover plan.“The key to urban mobility is moving people, not cars,” the architects said, adding that the proposed flyover reflects an outdated approach. “Global evidence has repeatedly shown that flyovers inside cities often induce more traffic rather than solve it.”The duo said they invested three years developing a comprehensive master plan for Chandigarh’s next 50 years rooted in Le Corbusier’s original planning principles, of which ‘The Overloop’ is a key component. The proposal was presented to the UT Administration in 2019 and was, they said, recognised and shortlisted among two competing designs. However, they allege the subsequent evaluation raises serious questions about process and transparency, having been assessed by the same party that was eventually being awarded the tender.“Our engagement has been guided not by opposition, but by the need for a more informed and inclusive consideration of alternatives. We sought not confrontation, but dialogue,” they said.The tree felling concernAt the heart of the opposition is the proposed felling of nearly 700 mature trees along the Tribune Chowk corridor, many of them decades old. Petitioners before the High Court have filed affidavits pointing out that 17 mango trees slated for felling belong to an orchard carrying Heritage Grade 1 status.The architects argue that planting saplings as compensation offers no real substitute. “Treating this as adequate compensation is like putting a band-aid on a bullet wound,” they said, adding that Chandigarh’s tree-lined avenues are not incidental but intrinsic to Le Corbusier’s vision, designed to regulate microclimate and structure the city’s spatial character.Master plan at the coreBeyond trees, petitioners argue the flyover violates the Chandigarh Master Plan 2031, a legally binding document, which does not recommend flyovers within the city and prioritises green cover. Amicus curiae Tanu Bedi has argued before the court that the 1.6-km structure is inconsistent with the master plan’s vision for the city.“More than trees, it is the Master Plan and the fundamental futility of a flyover as a solution to the traffic problem that are the main arguments,” a petitioner said, adding that alleged misrepresentation by the Engineering Department about urban planning permissions makes the project “suspicious.”Former chief architect opposedFormer Chandigarh Chief Architect Sumit Kaur has consistently opposed the project, calling it a “myopic” and unsustainable solution. A member of the Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee, Kaur has argued that the 1.6-km concrete structure is a “30th-century response to 21st-century problems” that will harm the city’s unique urban identity and merely shift congestion from one point to another.She has instead advocated for sustainable alternatives, strengthening public transport, developing a Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) and creating a ring road to divert through-traffic, rather than a monolithic flyover on Tribune Chowk.HC proceedings and UT defenceThe matter was pending before the High Court for further hearing, with petitioners seeking an urgent interim stay on tree felling and the tender process, urging that any contract awarded remain subject to the final verdict.The UT Administration has defended the project robustly, maintaining that the flyover is essential to easing the acute congestion at Tribune Chowk, where over 1.5 lakh vehicles ply daily. It has pointed out that a High Court stay was vacated in April 2024 and that challenges before the Supreme Court were dismissed in September 2024. The Administration has finalised Singla Constructions Limited as the L1 bidder at Rs 147.98 crore, 31 per cent below the estimated bid cost of Rs 214.66 crore, and is awaiting formal Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) approval before awarding the work.The High Court is now weighing the balance between the city’s modern traffic needs and its heritage ecological character, a contest that shows no signs of easing before the first shovel hits the ground.BackgroundThe Tribune flyover project dates to 2016, when the Centre approved a consultant to find a permanent solution to Tribune Chowk’s chronic congestion. Sanctioned at Rs 183.74 crore in February 2019, work was awarded in November 2019 but immediately stalled after a High Court stay on tree felling. The stay was vacated in April 2024. The revised project cost of Rs 247.07 crore was approved in August 2025, fresh tenders were floated in October 2025, and financial bids were opened on May 7, 2026.What is the overloop?Elevated rotary over the existing Tribune Chowk roundaboutSegregates traffic across two levels for continuous, signal-free flowIncreases traffic capacity by nearly 50%Requires felling of only 65 trees vs approx. 700 under flyover planIncludes dedicated elevated pedestrian crossingsPart of URap’s Master Plan 2075 for Chandigarh’s integrated mobilityShortlisted among two designs by UT Administration in 2019Project dossierTotal cost: Rs 247.07 crore (incl. GST)Estimated bid cost: Rs 214.66 crore (ex-GST)L1 bid: Rs 147.98 crore (Singla Constructions Ltd)Funding: 100% MoRTHUT share: Rs 35.54 crore (utility shifting)Length: 1.65 km | Flyover: 1,442 m | Underpass: 519 mCompletion: 30 months from awardTraffic: 1.5 lakh vehicles/day