Dy CM initiates project to widen road named after dera chief

Arun Sharma

Tribune News Service

Nurpur Bedi (Ropar), April 3

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) — keeping the fast approaching Assembly elections in mind — has started work to get the support of ‘deras’ in the district.

SAD president and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today laid the foundation stone of the strengthening and widening project of the 31-km “Sri Satguru Brahm Sagar Bhuri Wale Marg”, named after the founder of a nearby ‘dera’ Brahma Nand Bhuri Wale.

The ‘dera’ has a large following in the area. The Deputy Chief Minister, on request of the present ‘dera’ head Chetana Nand, announced the widening of few other roads in the area also.

And the ‘dera’ head did not disappoint the SAD leaders. He indicated to his followers in the well-attended public rally to support the Akalis and particularly local MLA and Punjab Education Minister Daljit Singh Cheema. “I would like to tell the people present on the occasion that even a glass of water offered to someone should not be forgotten,” he said.

Sukhbir enumerating the developmental works taken up by his government claimed that nearly Rs 32,000 crore had been spent to provide uninterrupted power supply. An improved road network has been set up in the state. A sum of Rs 2,000 crore was being spent on the four-laning of the Ropar-Phagwara road. The Banga-Anandpur Sahib road would be widened from 18 ft to 33 ft, he said.