Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari today gave green signal to 3080.47 kms long highway as national highway besides sanctioning of seven ROBs in Punjab during meeting eith Punjab Deputy Chief Minister S. Sukhbir Singh Badal at here at New Delhi.In the presence of Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Mrs. Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Deputy Chief Minister put forth demands of the state and stressed to declare Guru Gobind Singh Marg from Sri Anandpur Sahib to Sri Abchal Nagar Hazoor Sahib Nanded (Maharashtra) as national highways. Deputy CM pointed out that out of total length of 3080.47 kms, about 1469 kms have already been declared as national highway whereas the remaining 1611 kms is yet to be declared as such. Accepting this demand, Mr. Gadkari on the spot approved 880 kms length of GGS Marg as national highways and assured that balance would be taken up soon.S. Badal also sought the speedy approval of four and six laning of Chandigarh-Kharar-Ludhiana road project of NH-95 where land has been acquired and necessary clearances are in place. Heeding this demand, Union Minister asked the officers to grant approval within one month to the project. He also gave directions to the NHAI to get approval of Rupnagar-Phagwara road project at the earliest.
Regarding the delay in 6 laning of Jalandhar-Dhillwan section of NH-1 length 20 Kms and 4 laning of Ludhiana-Talwandi Bhai section of NH-15 length 78 Kms, Mr Gadkari asked member finance NHAI Mr Satish Chandra to take speedy action against the defaulters as per rules of the contract.He also stressed upon the Union Minister for declaring Landran-Moonak road via Sirhind-Patiala-bye pass-Samana-Patran-Moonak connecting newly declared NH-148B and NH-205A, Banga-Garhshankar-Anandpur Sahib-Naina Devi raod, Gurdaspur-Dera Baba Nanak-Ajnala-Amritsar-Bhikhiwind-Khemkaran road, Zira Ferozepur-Muktsar Sahib-Malout road, Moga-Harike-Khalra, Patiala-Pihowa road upto Haryana border, Abohar Hanumangarh road upto Rajasthan border and Abohar-Sitogunnu-Dabwali as national highways in Punjab given their strategic, economic and religious importance.
S. Badal also pushed forward the demand to Mr. Gadkari to issue instructions to the NHAI to grant approval to 4 laning (partial access controlled) Laddowal bypass (linking NH-95 with NH-1) via Laddowal seed farm at Ludhiana, elevated road project in Ludhiana city from Samrala Chowk to MC limit Ludhiana (NH-95) as the land is available and clearances are in place and up-gradation of Rupnagar-Phagwara Road. Giving the demand a serious thought, Mr. Gadkari promised to approve the elevated road project within one month and issued instructions to NHAI to get its approval soon.Deputy Chief Minister also sought the approval of pending estimates of ROBs at Bathinda, Faridkot, Amritsar and Maur in Bathinda district to which the Union Minister gave the green signal. Accepting another demand, Mr. Gadkari gave clearance to ROBs at Barnala, Muktsar and assured of approval to the one at Jalalabad after DPR Preparation.
S. Badal also pressed for the need to immediately sanction the estimates submitted by the state PWD regarding widening of Rampura- Talwandi Sabo road upto refinery, widening of Nakodar-Moga-Barnala-Mansa- Jhunir-Sardulgarh road, Jalandhar-Kapurthala-Sultanpur Lodhi-Gidarpindi and Mudki-Rampura Phool roads. Considering the demand, Mr. Gadkari accorded approval to over Rs. 100 crore project of widening of Rampura- Talwandi Sabo upto refinery road, widening of Nakodar-Moga-Barnala—Mansa-Jhunir-Sardulgarh and widening of Jalandhar-Kapurthala-Sultanpur Lodhi-Gidarpindi road.S. Badal also demanded that the allocation of finances under NH (PR) for the year 2015-16 should be increased from Rs. 31.91 crore. Agreeing with this, Mr. Gadkari allocated Rs. 20 crore under which 100 new works have already been launched. the Union Minister patiently listened to the demands put forward by the Deputy Chief Minister and assured to look into them sympathetically within month.Among others present in the meeting included N.S. Kalsi additional Chief Secretary PWD, Satish Chandra member (Finance) NHAI, Rahul Bhandari Additional Resident Commissioner Punjab at Delhi and A.K. Singla Chief Engineer PWD.