Harsimrat Kaur Badal today announced the union government had approved construction of eighteen road projects comprising 1000 kilometers of

Chandigarh: Union food processing industries minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal today announced the union government had approved construction of eighteen road projects comprising 1000 kilometers of roads in Punjab after she as well as SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal took up this issue with Road Transport and Highway minister Nitin Gadkari.

In a statement here, the Union minister said most of the proposals for construction of new roads had been sent during the SAD-BJP tenure but had lagged behind because the Congress government did not display any interest in following up on them.

Harsimrat Kaur BadalShe said three new road links of the prestigious Delhi-Amritsar-Katra four lane expressway had also been approved.

Badal said since eight of these eighteen projects pertained to Ferozepur and Bathinda parliamentary constituencies the Congress government adopted a go-slow policy on the issue.

“However, when people represented us, I took up the matter with the Union highway ministry and Sukhbir Badal held a meeting with Nitin Gadkari to request for approval of the cases. I’m grateful to Gadkari for according approval to all the road projects”.

Badal said new projects which had been cleared included the Delhi Katra expressway portions in Punjab including the Patran – Nakodar, Nakodar – Gurdaspur and Nakodar – Amritsar stretches.

Sukhbir Singh Badal“The detailed project reports are being made with regard to all the eighteen road projects. The work on the projects is likely to start within one year”

Giving further details, Badal said the projects pertaining to Bathinda and Ferozepur parliamentary constituencies included the Malout Mandi – Dabwali stretch, Sunam – Bhaini Bagha, Bhaini Bagha – Kot Shamir, Jhoke Harihar – Buragujjar, Rupana – Malout – Mandi Dabwali, Abohar – Fazilka, Jodhpur Romana – Mandi Dabwali and Malout – Sadhuwali roads.

The union minister said the projects besides those pertaining to the Delhi – Amritsar – Katra four lane expressway included the Amritsar -Ghoman, Ghoman – Tanda, Amritsar – Ramdas, Hoshiarupur – Una, Hoshiarpur – Phagwara, Sunam – Moonak Mandi, Moonak Mandi – Uklana, and Tanda – Hoshiarpur road stretches.