Pb CM meets NHAI chairman, work on Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway to start soon

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday met National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Chairman Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and the two agreed to expeditiously start work on the prestigious Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway project.

Acquisition of land for the Rs 30,000 crore project of which Rs 10,000 crore will be spent by NHAI on the 300 km stretch in Punjab will commence soon, an official spokesperson said after the meeting here this afternoon.

The NHAI Chairman informed the Chief Minister that decks for the project had been cleared since the shorter alignment proposed by the Authority had now been finalized.

During the meeting, Amarinder also sought early execution of Shambu-Jalandhar (old NH-1), Ludhiana-Talwandi Bhai Section of NH-95, and demanded termination of toll collection on NH-44 as work on the same had not yet been completed.

Referring to 4-laning of Kharar-Banur-Tepla road on NH-205A, the Chief Minister pointed out that despite the road having been transferred to NHAI since May 2017, work on the project had not commenced till date.

He urged the NHAI to initiate 4-laning of the road without further delay.

Demanding a comprehensive review of the toll road in Zirakpur town by NHAI, along with Greater Mohali Area Development Authority and local municipal council, Amarinder pointed out that as a result of the road currently being a toll road, there were frequent and major traffic bottlenecks in Zirakpur town on the existing NH-22 section.

As a result of the dense residential/commercial activity on both sides of the road, severe traffic jams were witnessed there, necessitating a relook at the toll arrangement, the spokesperson added.