DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Punjab Public Works and Power Minister S. Harbhajan Singh ETO took part in a high-level meeting to review the national highway projects in Punjab chaired by Union Road Transport and highways Mr. Nitin Gadkari held yesterday evening in the national capital. Union ministers of state for road transport and highways Ajay Tamta and Harsh Malhotra, Central and state administrative secretaries, senior officials from centre road transport ministry, NHAI and Punjab Public Works Department and Contractors and consultants were also present.

In the review meeting it was informed that at present projects of 1438 Kms of national highways costing around Rs. 45,000 Crore are being constructed in Punjab. For the completion of these works, the issues were discussed in detail including to give the possession of acquired land at the earliest, to expedite distribution of compensation amount, to prepare land bank of non-forest land in exchange of forest land acquired for projects and to provide ash from thermal power plants. In addition to this the issue of delay in acquiring lands for some projects was discussed in detail and quick solution was emphasised.

On the issues highlighted by the Union Minister Mr. Gadkari, the Punjab Cabinet Minister S. Harbhajan Singh ETO assured that the state government would resolve all these issues in a time bound manner so as to make the transport facilities smoother for the people of the state. Apart from this, project of constructing the Vehicular Under Pass (VUP) at Khan-kot for better connectivity of highways and to improve road safety was also brought to the notice of the Union Minister.
(editor@dailyworld.in)