The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has planned infrastructure development works worth ₹1,417 crore in Punjab for the current fiscal. Officials privy to the development said the annual plan will cover a 295km network of national highways (NHs).
The south Malwa region will get the lion’s share of ₹740 crore. According to a communiqué sent to the state authorities on June 2, the NHAI has proposed to invest in four-laning of NHs, land acquisitions, construction of bypasses and bridges, said officials.
The annual development plan has no spending provisions under financial heads of road safety and environment. A maximum of ₹461 crore of the total ₹1,417 crore will be spent on the widening of NHs.
A budget of ₹142.23 crore has been earmarked for land acquisition and preconstruction activities of NH-254 (that connects Punjab with Haryana) from Kangar village to Rampura Phul in Bathinda district, said officials.
Besides, ₹140 crore will be spent on widening and two-laning of 29km of NH-354 from Muktsar bypass to Malout. Another ₹88.77 crore will be spent on the widening of the Patto-Kangar section of 13.2km.
The NHAI will spend ₹64 crore on the strengthening of 48km of Bathinda-Muktsar highway. The central agency will undertake the construction of four railway overbridge (ROBs) with an investment of ₹166 crore at Jalandhar, Fazilka, Ferozepur and Tarn Taran districts, said officials.
A 35km stretch of underdeveloped districts of Barnala and Mansa will get ₹85 crore for strengthening of NH-703. A sum of 170 crore has been planned for four-laning of Jawahar Singh Wala-Rampura section and another ₹100 crore for four-laning of Tarn Taran-Kapurthala NH-703AA, said officials.
The NHAI has kept ₹150 crore for land acquisition and pre-construction for a bypass and realignment of Dadwindi village near Sultanpur Lodhi.
For the preconstruction works on the 40km stretch connecting Pathankot with Himachal Pradesh, the NHAI has earmarked ₹89 crore, said officials.