Time to save national highway projects: MP Aujla to AAP govt
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, August 10
Taking strong cognizance of the letter written by Nitin Gadkari to the Chief Minister on the national highway projects on the verge of closure in Punjab, MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla today said that the state government should focus on these projects on priority, leaving all other non-essential work. Addressing a press conference today, MP Aujla said that if the state government does not pay serious attention to this, Amritsar and Punjab will have pay the price of this.
“National highway projects worth Rs. 3033 crores have already been scrapped by the Centre in Punjab due to land requisition issues, while other projects worth Rs. 14200 crores are on the verge of closure due to same situation. The state government has received the money to complete these projects since last two years. The government only has to acquire the land, which it has to get service charges but still the government is sitting silent,” Aujla said while registering his protest.
Union minister of Road Transport and national highways, Nitin Gadkari in a string worded caution to Punjab government said that if the law and order situation in the state does not improve, the NHAI project work on Delhi-Katra expressway would be scrapped. The NHAI is developing Greenfield and Brownfield national highway corridors, including the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra expressway in Punjab. Gadkari warned that if the work on the projects in Punjab faces any land requisition issues of law and order situation, then the projects will be terminated. The letter also mentions the untoward incidents that happened with the project workers in Jalandhar and Ludhiana.
‘Amritsar needs these projects the most’
MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla said that Amritsar is a border area and will benefit the most from the expressway. “If these projects are shut down, then it will be difficult to compensate for the loss. A lot of development is expected in Amritsar through this project. Every day lakhs of devotees come to Amritsar to pay obeisance, this will increase the number of tourists and business will increase.”
He also questioned the local MLAs of keeping silent on the issue. “The MLAs of Amritsar should also raise their voice in this regard. They were elected by the people to raise their voice but they too are sitting absolutely silent.”
MP Aujla said that the state government should get the projects completed with all its intent. He demanded that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann should pay serious attention to these projects and acquire land in the coming 10 to 15 days and hand it over to the National Highway Authority so that the state can gain advantage of better connectivity for boosting capital.
