CHANDIGARH: Punjab is all set to witness total facelift of road network with Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal setting aside Rs. 13740 crore for 4/6 laning of all highways including intercity roads to be completed in next 24 months.

Accompanied by Bikram Singh Majithia, Revenue Minister, Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, PWD Minister, the Deputy Chief Minister reviewed the progress of ongoing Road Infrastructure and expressed satisfaction that during last five years 230 kilometer national highways have been six laned at the cost of Rs. 1460 crores while the work of another 400 kilometer long stretch was in full swing with a combined cost of Rs. 3080 crore and the proposal for 101 kilometer road worth Rs. 700 crore was in pipeline and the work will be allotted soon after completion of remaining formalities. Sukhbir said that 6 laning of NH-64 was at full swing and Rs. 6000 crore has been earmarked for 6 laning of NH-15 and 71.

Describing Roads as arteries of development, Mr. Badal said that our last term saw completion of 4 laning of NH-1 from Dhilwan to Amritsar at the cost of Rs. 263 crore, NH-1 from Amritsar to Wagah Border at the cost of Rs. 206 crore, Jalandhar to Bhogpur at the cost of Rs. 90 crore, Mukerian to Pathankot with a cost of Rs. 300 crore, Kurali to Kiratpur Sahib at the cost of Rs. 309 crore besides 4 laning of NH-22 from Ambala to Zirakpur at approximate cost of Rs. 298 crore. Mr. Badal also reviewed the progress of 6 laning of NH-1 from Shambhu Border to Jalandhar, NH-1A from Bhogpur to Mukerian, NH-15 from Pathankot to Amritsar and NH-95 from Ludhiana to Talwandi and all these roads with combined cost of Rs. 3079 crore would be completed by December 2013.

Sukhbir also approved 6 laning of three major links i.e. 4/6 laning of NH-95 from Kharar to Ludhiana, 6 laning of NH-1 from Jalandhar to Dhilwan and 4 laning of NH-21 from Kharar to Kurali and all these projects would be completed by December 2015. It was informed in the meeting that Rs. 501 crore project of 4 laning of Zirakpur-Patiala NH-64 would now be allotted in December 2013 and completed in June 2016 and Rs. 2007 crore project of Patiala-Bathinda section would be now completed in December 2016. Similarly, 4 laning of Amritsar to Bathinda would be completed in October 2016 and Jalandhar-Jind Road via Barnala to be constructed at the cost of Rs. 2468 crore would be completed in June 2016. The meeting also approved ROB on NH-15 near Bathinda Thermal Plant.

It was also informed in the meeting that 520.44 kilometer road projects have been completed at the cost of Rs. 624.22 crore whereas work was in progress on Ropar-Chamkaur-Doraha Road, Kotkapura-Mukatsar Road, Morinda-Kurali-Siswan Road and Batala-Mehta-Beas Road and these roads with a combined cost of Rs. 454.26 crore would be completed by December 2014. The meeting also approved 427.19 kilometer roads at the estimated cost of Rs. 2500 crore that included Rayya to Khara, Manpur Head to Jagraon-Raikot Road, Manpur head to Barnala-Raikot Road, Nidampur Lehra Road, Tanda-Srihargobindpur-Amritsar Road, Kapurthala-Nakodar-Phillaur. The meeting also approved Rs. 2505.89 crore projects of 4 laning of Ladowal byepass and Ropar-Nawanshahr-Banga-Phagwara Road. 4/6 laning of Nine major roads have also been approved in the meeting of combined length of 460.50 kilometer to be constructed at the cost of Rs. 1400 crore that included Barnala-Mansa-Sardulgarh-Sirsa, Ratia-Boha-Budhlada- Bhikhi Road, Mukerian to Gurdaspur, Dharamkot-Zira-Ferozepur Road, Phillaur-Nagar-Rahon Road, Kapurthala-Tarn Taran-Chabbaal-Attari Road, Chandigarh-Landran-Chunni-Sirhind Patiala Road, Rampura-Maur-Talwandi Sabo-Rama Mandi Road, Mukatsar to Malout Road.