Taking ahead its infrastructure development plans Punjab cleared pending road project proposals on Wednesday. Several projects comprising 4-laned Amritsar-Pathankot (NH-15), 6-laned Chandigarh-Ludhiana (NH-95), 4-laned Ludhiana-Moga-Talwandi-Ferozepur (NH-95), Jalandhar-Dhilwan section of Jalandhar-Amritsar (NH-1), Section Desu Majra to Kurali of Chandigarh-Ropar-Kiratpur (NH-21), 6-laned Jalandhar-Panipat and Jalandhar to Wagha Border via Amritsar were given green signal.
A decision to this effect was taken on Wednesday during a meeting with a high power delegation of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) led by its chairman Jivtesh Singh Maini this morning. Maini agreed to the proposal of the chief minister to extend the project of 4-laned Ludhiana-Moga-Talwandi-Ferozepur (NH-95) upto Hussainiwala keeping in view its historic importance, being a martyrdom place of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. He also promised to expedite the 4-laned Amritsar Pathankot road (NH-15), provided the state government hastens the pace of land acquisition on the tract.
Maini informed the chief minister that six laning of 68 km Chandigarh-Ludhiana Road (NH-95) had been approved under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) phase-V by committee on infrastructure and the feasibility and Detailed Project Report (DPR) would be prepared by NHAI. He also mentioned that Jalandhar-Amritsar road (Jalandhar-Dhilwan Section (NH-1) and Chandigarh-Ropar-Kiratpur (section Desu Majra to Kurali) NH-21 had also been approved under NHDP Phase-III.
Badal urged the chairman NHAI to extend the 4-laned road project of Chandigarh-Ropar-Kirtarpur Sahib to Sri Anandpur Sahib being an important religious tourist destination. He also assured full cooperation on behalf of the state government for early execution of the ongoing projects under NHDP in the state.
Badal pointed out that the 6-laning of Jalandhar to Wagha Border via Amritsar road now assumed far more importance in the wake of Indo-Pak’s decision to allow free movement of trucks through the border. With the opening of the Wagha Border for trade, the commercial route from Calcutta to Central Asia will witness major wind fall for the border state of Punjab. He directed the local bodies and departments to accomplish the task of sewerage system for proper disposal of sewage as per the norms of NHAI within the Zirakpur town for the smooth execution of the ongoing six lane NH-I project.