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Punjab set to embark on biggest road construction work: Mann
Addressing mediapersons here, Mann claimed this would be the biggest ever road project undertaken by the state, adding that tenders will be issued in this regard.
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said the Punjab government will construct 44,920 km of road stretches in the state with an outlay of ₹16,209 crore.
Addressing mediapersons here, Mann claimed this would be the biggest ever road project undertaken by the state, adding that tenders will be issued in this regard.
The project includes construction of 2,829-km public works department (PWD) roads and 18,545 km of rural link roads, at a total cost of ₹7,727 crore.
Additionally, 22,291-km road stretches under the Punjab Mandi Board, and 1,255 km of urban roads under various civic bodies will be constructed at a cost of ₹7,697 crore and ₹785 crore, respectively, he said.
A total sum of ₹16,209 crore will be spent on constructing quality roads across the state, Mann said, adding that he has directed contractors not to compromise on the quality of materials and work.
Asked whether the Punjab government has received the state’s rural development fund from the Centre, Mann said it had not been released. The Punjab government is funding the road projects on its own, he said.
Asked about the ₹1,600-crore flood-relief amount for the state, Mann alleged that the Centre had “not released a single penny” out of it.
He alleged that the BJP leaders who claim that funds have been given to the state should know that these are funds from central schemes that Punjab would have received anyway even if no floods had occurred. However, the CM said that these funds are not from any special package that the BJP leaders are boasting that the Union government has issued.
He said that these roads would all be with the five years maintenance clause ensuring highest quality standards along with the world-class road safety features. The move is aimed at providing better mobility and boosting rural infrastructure in the state, he added.
Responding to Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini’s allegation that his condolence visit to the home of deceased basketball player Hardik Rathi was political, Mann said that he is a sports lover and had gone there to share family’s grief. He stated that visiting a player’s home to express sorrow cannot be called politics rather it is an act of solidarity with the bereaved family.
“The Haryana government is making such baseless allegations to hide its own failures, as the sports infrastructure in Haryana has collapsed badly,” Mann said.
Mann asserted that sports infrastructure across the country needs improvement, also noting that India is set to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. He said that rather than lip service on the issue, the Haryana government must accept responsibility for this situation.
Meanwhile, replying to a query, the CM said that the chief minister’s flying squad is continuously monitoring the quality of roads, and after receiving several complaints about the use of substandard material, contracts of some contractors have been cancelled.
Visits Kurali bus stand
Amidst the strike of transport contractual employees, the CM on Saturday morning visited the Kurali bus stand and interacted with passengers.
He said that instructions have been given to the deputy commissioner of Rupnagar to increase the number of routes for both local and long-distance buses so that people do not face any inconvenience. Mann said that this visit was not for fault finding but was aimed at facilitating the public.
Speaking about the strike by PRTC employees, the CM appealed to all employees to return to work and adopt the path of dialogue with the government. He said the state government is making sincere efforts to resolve all issues of PRTC employees and has even taken up some matters in court. Therefore, he said that the agitating employees should end their protest and return to work so that the public does not face any inconvenience.
He also announced that the Punjab government will soon introduce 900 new government buses in the fleet to provide better transport facilities to the people.
