Chandigarh, Aug. 1 -- In a significant development that will ease traffic congestion in Zirakpur and its surrounding areas, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has given its approval for a six-lane bypass that will serve as an alternative route for Himachal-bound traffic.

Lying on the intersection of two major highways - National Highways 5 & 7, Zirakpur is prone to major traffic snarls.

The bypass, spanning nearly 19.2 km, will start at the Patiala-Zirakpur light point on NH-7 and terminate at the old Panchkula light point on NH-5, helping the Shimla-bound traffic completely avoid the Zirakpur bottleneck. Similarly, traffic from Shimla heading towards Ambala or Delhi will also be able to bypass Zirakpur.

Th...