Punjab DCs directed to complete land acquisition process ‘immediately’ for expressways

Chandigarh, August 26

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Punjab Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua on Friday directed all deputy commissioners to complete the land acquisition process immediately to ensure construction of expressways in the state in time.

Janjua issued the order while reviewing the ongoing projects of the National Highways Authority (NHAI) in the state, an official statement said.

The Chief Secretary said that under the acquisition process farmers in the state would get Rs 15,000 crore in compensation, and roads worth Rs 40,000 crore will be constructed.

Holding a meeting with the NHAI chairperson Alka Upadhyaya, who joined through a video link, and the deputy commissioners of the state, Janjua said the Punjab government is committed to complete the national projects on time in the state.

He asked the district officials to take necessary action to complete the remaining work immediately, saying no laxity in the matter will be tolerated.

The bureaucrat said that 15 greenfield expressways with a combined length of 1,173 km and nine brownfield expressways with a combined length of 436 km are being constructed in the state.

The Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, Amritsar-Bathinda, Ludhiana-Bathinda, Mohali-Bathinda, and Ludhiana-Ropar, Jalandhar Bypass, Amritsar Bypass, Mohali Bypass and Ludhiana Bypass are prominent among them, he said.

In the meeting, the Chief Secretary took stock of the ground situation with deputy commissioners and asked NHAI to solve the problems on the spot.

He also instructed the officials to ensure that the farmers do not face any problem in getting the compensation amount.