DW BUREAU / New Delhi Punjab's Rural Development Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Monday met Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari here to discuss the development and strengthening of road infrastructure in border areas of the state. After the meeting, Dhaliwal told reporters that the Union Ministry of Road Transport has approved the construction and upgradation of two important roads in the border areas of the Amritsar district. He said the construction of Ghonewala Ramdass Road to Gulgarh Road from near Dhusi Band along the Ravi river and the development of Ajnala-Fatehgarh Churian-Ramdas road in the border block of Ajnala have been approved under the Central Road Fund. Due to the non-development of these two roads, around 100 villages were suffering. Completion of this project will give a big boost to the development of this area, the Punjab minister said. Dhaliwal said the meeting was conducive and Gadkari gave a positive response to each issue. The Union Transport Minister has also given approval to developing roads in Ajnala city and three roads between Awan, Gaggowal and Thoba villages and assured releasing the funds within the week, Dhaliwal said, adding Gadkari has assured that projects to develop other roads in the state will also be considered on a priority basis. In response to a question about Punjab's campaign to free panchayat land, Dhaliwal said in the last five months, over 9,000 acres of land has been freed from illegal possession and the campaign will continue. He targeted the opposition leaders for their criticism of this campaign and said this panchayati land has been illegally occupied during the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal governments. (editor@dailyworld.in)