Centre approves Rs 5,261-crore road projects for Punjab

The Centre today approved several major road projects, including four-laning of Patiala-Bathinda highway, for Punjab to be completed at a cost of Rs 5,261 crore.
While the four-laning of Patiala-Bathinda highway would be done on engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode, the Road Transport and Highways Ministry will carry out the four-laning of 94 kilometre of Sangrur-Khanouri highway up to Haryana border.
The decisions were taken a high-level meeting between Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.
Badal also asked Gadkari to expedite national highway projects in Punjab.
Gadkari gave his nod to lay the foundation of four-laning project of four major roads to be constructed at a cost of Rs 1,693 crore.

Approving the 4-laning of Patiala-Bathinda road, Gadkari said this would be accomplished in three phases from Patiala bypass to Sangrur bypass in first phase, start of Sangrur bypass to boundary of Barnala city and from this point to Bathinda city.

He said cost of this project would be Rs 1,238 crore and it would cover a total 128 km stretch on the National Highways-64.
Badal also sought necessary directions from Gadkari to NHAI to include 12.3-km of NH-95 from Samrala Chowk to Ludhiana Municipal Corporation limit in the ongoing project of 4/6 lane of Chandigarh to Samrala Chowk.
Badal said Punjab has submitted to the Centre the feasibility report, along with estimated cost of the project.

The Deputy Chief Minister also asked the ministry to expedite work on upgrading of national highways in the state.