Gadkari to inaugurate two upgraded highways in Punjab on Monday

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari will inaugurate two upgraded four-lane highways and lay the foundation stone of a two-lane highway in Punjab on Monday, an official said on Sunday.

The four-lane NH-15 and NH-64 connect Amritsar to Bathinda and Zirakpur to Bathinda respectively, a Ministry statement said.

The 175-km NH-15 was completed in 24 months at a cost of Rs 2,893 crore.

The Harike bypass on NH-15 will also reduce traffic congestion and resultant pollution in Harike, said the statement, adding that three road overbridges, five flyovers, 12 underpasses and 31 large junctions were constructed under the project.

The 216-km NH-64 stretch was completed in 24 months at a cost of Rs 2,264 crore.

District headquarters like SAS Nagar, Patiala, Sangrur, Bathinda, Faridkot and Amritsar will get connected by NH-64. The project includes an ROB, 12 flyovers, 22 underpasses and 42 large junctions.

Gadkari will lay the foundation stone of two-laning along with paved shoulders of the Munak-Jhakhal-Budhlana section of NH-144B, which once completed will reduce travel time between Bhikhi and Tohana in Haryana by an hour.

The 45.89-km project, expected to be completed in 18 months at a cost of Rs 293 crore, involves construction of a flyover, a grade separator, five km of service roads and six small bridges.

--IANS

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