SAD targets Punab CM Bhagwant Mann over ‘termination of 3 road projects’

Chandigarh, July 12

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today demanded Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to resolve all pending issues related to construction of national highways by awarding compensation for land acquisition to farmers as per their demands as well as making a case for review of termination orders of three highway projects worth Rs 3,303 crore and reviving four other projects worth Rs 4,942 crore which were slated for termination.

Expressing shock at the unprecedented termination of three national highways and initiation of the process to scrap four more by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the SAD president said, “Such an unprecedented action has never occurred in the history of the state. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is solely responsible for this state of affairs. He has refused to meet agitating farmers demanding a fair price for acquisition of their land and has even inordinately delayed the declaration of compensation and disbursement of awards to farmers”.

Asking the CM to get into action immediately, Badal said, “The Aam Aadmi Party should tell Punjab why it has come in the way of development of the state by keeping disbursement of as much as Rs 3,700 crore pending and not announcing awards for 845 hectares of land”.

Asserting that quality highways were the key to development of a landlocked state, Badal said, “The erstwhile SAD government had made highway development a number one priority and had successfully developed projects worth Rs 30,000 crore. The CM should build on this legacy instead of negating it with his actions”.