Give priority to Rs 1,976-crore canal projects: CM to Centre

Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 4

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Tuesday urged the Centre to include Rs 1,976-crore projects of relining of Rajasthan feeder and Sirhind feeder canals on its list of “prioritised” irrigation projects.

In a meeting with Union Water Resources and Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, the CM sought his intervention in the matter, besides seeking speedy implementation of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway project.

He also urged for an early clearance to Rs 426-crore project for upgrading 557-km road lengths of border districts of Ferozepur, Fazilka, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur and Pathankot.

The estimates of the relining of the Rajasthan and Sirhind projects had been approved by the Central Water Commission, an agency of the Water Resources Ministry, way back in 2009 for Rs 952 crore and Rs 489 crore, respectively. But the work was delayed due to technical reasons.

The state government has now completed the groundwork and all documentation has been submitted to the ministry. It can float global tenders only after a clearance.

The CM informed Gadkari that the Rajasthan government had also made a commitment to fund its share in the projects.

The inclusion of the two projects in the ambit of “prioritised” list under the Ministry’s Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Projects (AIBP) would ensure enhanced Central financial help. The 99 projects are spread over 18 states aimed at beefing up country’s irrigation system.

About the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway project, the CM said alignment of the expressway had already been finalised among Punjab and Haryana.

As per consultations between the two states, the new alignment option proposed to be adopted would start from Amritsar and go straight up to Delhi Western Peripheral Expressway or Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway in Delhi, with spurs connecting religious and economic centres such as Dera Baba Nanak, Qadian, Attari border, Gandiwind, Tarn Taran, Goindwal Sahib, Makhu, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Muktsar, Malerkotla, Talwandi Sabo, Patiala, Moonak, etc.