Punjab Highway Row: Gadkari Warns Termination Of Projects

Land acquisition for highway infrastructure construction in Punjab has been a riddle for the Indian Government. After three projects worth ₹3,263 crores were cancelled earlier this year, the state might also lose eight projects worth ₹14,288 crores. The caution came from Nitin Gadkari via a letter acquired publicly to the chief minister of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann. The letter was prompted by recent incidents at the ongoing construction of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra expressway. 

The minister cited the incidence of attacks on engineers at Jalandhar and Ludhiana. In both cases of violence, safety has come under the flack. As a consequence, carrying forward construction can be challenging. Although FIRs have been filed, the miscreants are yet to be arrested. Additionally, pending issues related to land acquisition, coupled with several contractors requesting foreclose contract claims due to such law-and-order conditions, have further made it difficult for NHAI. 

The Delhi-Amritsar-Katra expressway is a greenfield and brownfield national highway corridor constructed under the Bharatmala Pariyojana scheme. The 670 km long expressway is being built at a cost of ₹25,000 crore and will be operational in December 2024. It’s a 4-lane (expandable up to 8) expressway starting from Jasaur Kheri Village near Bahadurgarh Border, Delhi, and ending at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, Amritsar, Punjab. It will connect three states: Delhi, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir.  

Earlier, at a NH Projects meeting that was chaired by the Minister of Road, Transport and Highways, on July 15. Gadkari was assured that such cases would be resolved on a priority basis; however, in the letter, Gadkari stated that the situation had worsened further. While Gadkari has already urged the state government to take the necessary corrective measures to get these issues sorted out speedily, the member also attached photos of the miscreants in the letter to the Punjab CM.