Public works and power minister Harbhajan Singh ETO attended a review meeting on Monday regarding national highway projects in Punjab, which was chaired by union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari. During the meeting, it was noted that currently, projects covering 1,438 kilometers of national highways, costing around Rs 450 billion, are being constructed in Punjab.
The discussion addressed issues related to the completion of these projects, including the handover of acquired land, the acceleration of compensation distribution, the preparation of a land bank of non-forest land in exchange for forest land acquired for the projects, and the provision of ash from thermal power plants. The matter of delays in land acquisition for some projects was discussed in detail, and a quick solution was emphasized.
Regarding the issues raised by Gadkari, the Punjab minister assured that the state government would resolve all these issues in a timely manner to improve transport facilities for the people of the state. The project of constructing a vehicular underpass (VUP) at Khankot for better highway connectivity and improved road safety was also brought to the union minister's attention.