In what could mean better connectivity in Punjab, major road projects to be completed at a cost of `5261 crore were on Tuesday approved by the Central Government. The 4-laning of Patiala-Bathinda road will be in three packages on Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode. Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry has also decided to lay the foundation stone of 4-laning of 94 kilometer long stretch from Sangrur to Khanouri upto Haryana border in the state at a cost of `1693 crore.
This was decided in a high level meeting held between Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and Punjab Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal in which the latter urged Gadkari to put NH projects in Punjab on fast track.
Gadkari also gave his nod to lay foundation stones of 4-laning project of 4 major roads to be constructed from Sangrur to Dogal Kalan NH-71, Dogal Kalan to Khanouri, Sangrur bye-pass and Dhanaula bye-pass and Patiala bye-pass.
Approving 4 laning of Patiala-Bathinda road, Gadkari said this would be accomplished in three packages from Patiala bye-pass to Sangrur bye-pass in first package, start of Sangrur bye-pass to boundary of Barnala city and from this point to Bathinda city.
He said cost of this project would be `1238 crore to complete a total 128 kilometer stretch on NH-64. Badal also asked the ministry to expedite the proceedings to initiate physical work on the first part of 4/6-laning of Chandigarh-ludhiana section of NH 95.
