Centre assures all help in Punjab's road development plans

New Delhi, Jun 23 (UNI) The Centre has assured Punjab that its request to extend the Ludhiana-Talwandi Bhai stretch up to Firozpur under the NHDP-III would be considered by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on a priority basis.

''A decision on this proposal of the state government would be taken soon by the NHAI,'' Road Transport and Highways Minister T R Baalu assured Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal during their meeting last evening, where various road development programmes of the state were discussed.

Regarding the Amritsar-Pathankot stretch of NH-15, Mr Baalu directed the ministry officials to expedite sanction of the estimate submitted by the state PWD for the improvement of a 23-km dilapidated stretch.

''In the meantime, the State PWD can go ahead with the bidding process. However, the award of the work should be done only after the sanction,'' the Minister said.

On the state government's request to reduce the land acquisition on a 500-meter stretch on NH-22 in Zirakpur Town from 45 meters to 40 metres, Mr Baalu assured the Chief Minister that a team of NHAI officials would visit the site very soon to sort out this issue.

Regarding the Patiala-Bhatinda stretch of NH-64, the Minister told Mr Badal that the inception report had already been submitted to the Centre.

''The proposal for consultancy services has been included in the Annual Plan 2007-08,'' he said, adding that the execution of work would be taken on A BOT basis.

UNI