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Gadkari inaugurates 418-feet national flag at Attari-Wagah border, tallest in country
The Union minister said a surveillance system has been fitted atop the flag which will help the BSF troops keep track of the activities near the border
Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday inaugurated the tallest national flag of 418 feet at Attari chief post on India-Pakistan international border.
The flag at the Attari border, which is a famous tourist destination and known for the beating retreat ceremony, will have the surveillance system that will help the BSF keep vigil along the international border.
Earlier, there was a 360-foot flag that was installed in March 2017 at a cost of ₹3.5 crore. In response, Pakistan hoisted a taller flag (400 feet) adjacent to the Wagah check-post on the opposite side in August that year. In the flag war between both the countries, the new tricolour has turned 18-feel taller than the Pakistani flag.
Earlier, the Union minister inspected the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Greenfield Expressway and Amritsar bypass during his stay in the holy city on Thursday. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, Punjab public works department minister Harbhajan Singh ETO and Amritsar member of Parliament Gurjit Singh Aujla were also present.
“Five greenfield and economic corridors are being built in Punjab at a cost of ₹29,000 crore. This 669-km greenfield expressway Delhi-Amritsar-Katra is being built at a cost of ₹40,000 crore. With its construction, one can reach Amritsar from Delhi in 4 hours and Katra from Delhi in six hours. Presently, the distance from Delhi to Katra is 727 km, with the construction of this route the distance will be reduced by 58 km,” he said while addressing a press conference near Amritsar.
He said, “Starting from KMP in Delhi, this expressway is being built for 137 km in Haryana. The length of this expressway in Punjab is 399 km, of which work has started on 296 km. The length of the expressway in Jammu and Kashmir is 135 km, of which work is going on in 120 km. In Punjab, this expressway will pass through areas like Patiala, Sangrur, Malerkotla, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Gurdaspur.”
“A major feature of this corridor includes Asia’s longest 1,300-meter cable stayed bridge over the Beas. This expressway will connect major religious places of the Sikh community, the Golden Temple, Sultanpur Lodhi Gurdwara in Kapurthala, Goindwal Sahib, Khadoor Sahib, Gurdwara Darbar Sahib (Taran Taran) till Mata Darbar Vaishno Devi in Katra,” said Gadkari. He said, “The work of 50 km four-lane Amritsar bypass being built at a cost of ₹1,475 crore is in progress. With its construction, there will be better connectivity from Tarn Taran to Amritsar airport. This bypass will prove effective in solving the traffic problem of Amritsar. This route will improve the connectivity, transportation and infrastructure of Amritsar.”
Gadkari also proposed introduction of new technology transportation means that is sky buses in the holy city of Amritsar, which is densely populated. He asked CM Mann to introduce this technology and assured the aid for this project from Centre.
He also proposed that bridge being constructed over the Beas should be developed as a tourist destination.
Earlier, he paid obeisance at the Golden Temple and SGPC officials felicitated him.
Delhi-Katra expressway to be harbinger of a new era: CM
While expressing his views during a press conference, Mann said Delhi-Katra expressway will be a harbinger of a new era of unprecedented development and prosperity in the state.
He said the work on this ambitious project will be completed soon and it will be dedicated to people thereafter. He said the state government has already extended fulsome support and cooperation to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the completion of the project. Mann said the project will give major fillip to the economic activity in the region, besides opening new vistas of employment for the youth.
The chief minister said the state government is committed to the holistic development of the state for which more such projects will be brought in state. He said this is an ambitious project, which once completed, will save time, money and energy of commuters travelling from Delhi to Punjab and Jammu-Kashmir especially those desirous of paying obeisance at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. Mann said the 254-km highway will be constructed at a cost ₹11,510 crore and will pass through nine districts of the state — Jalandhar, Sangrur, Malerkotla, Patiala, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur.
