Punjab CM Holds NHAI Accountable for Highway Project Delays Amid Security Concerns

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann blamed NHAI and its contractors for delays in land acquisition for highway projects. This follows Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's warning about terminating road projects due to law and order issues. Mann assured the state's commitment to project execution and highlighted farmers' attachment to their land.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday held the NHAI and its contractors responsible for delays in land acquisition for highway projects. This comes days after Union Minister Nitin Gadkari warned of terminating road projects in the state due to law and order problems.

Mann wrote to Gadkari emphasizing that the state government is committed to the speedy execution of projects. He stated that, apart from a few exceptions, most road projects in Punjab are progressing well.

On August 9, Gadkari had alerted Mann that the NHAI would cancel or terminate eight highway projects spanning 293 km and costing Rs 14,288 crore if the law and order situation is not improved.

Gadkari cited incidents on the Delhi-Katra Expressway, where miscreants attacked a contractor's project camp, and engineers faced threats of arson. Mann responded that the Punjab police swiftly took action on these incidents, which he attributed to the contractors themselves.

Referring to the land acquisition issues, Mann explained that Punjab's farmers are deeply attached to their land due to its high value and their livelihood dependency. He pointed out that delays often resulted from NHAI's challenges to arbitration awards and contractors' slow mobilization.

Mann assured that the state's chief secretary is conducting regular reviews to resolve any bottlenecks and added that he plans to engage directly with farmers. He reiterated that Punjab Police remains committed to maintaining law and order to support NHAI projects.

(With inputs from agencies.)