The Punjab government on Thursday cleared a project to repair and upgrade more than 18,000 km of link and main roads by March 2026.
This fresh round of work will be in addition to the ongoing repair of 12,000 km of link and planned roads, which is currently being executed by the state’s public works department (PWD) and the Punjab Mandi Board.
According to senior government officials, tenders for the additional 18,000 km have already been floated, with both departments pressed into accelerated planning to ensure the project begins immediately.
A top Punjab government functionary, who didn’t wish to be named, said that the state recently received ₹3,000 crore from the central government under the ‘special assistance to states for capital investment’ scheme, and has decided to channel a major portion of this package into road repair and infrastructure strengthening.
“The target is to repair all link roads or rural roads in Punjab by March 31, 2026,” a senior PWD officer, pleading anonymity, said.
The timing of the move is also politically significant, with the model code of conduct for the upcoming Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections expected to be imposed soon. The government has expedited the tendering process to ensure that work begins before the MCC freezes any new announcements.