AMRITSAR: Taking strong cognizance of the letter written by Nitin Gadkari to the Chief Minister on the national highway projects on the verge of closure in Punjab, MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla said that the state government should focus on these projects first leaving all other non-essential work. MP Aujla said that if the state government does not pay serious attention to this, then they will be encircled.
Projects worth 3263 crores already closed; other projects worth 14200 crores on the verge of closure
Road Transport and Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari has written a letter to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and warned that if the work on the projects in Punjab is not done smoothly and the land is not acquired, then the projects will be terminated. National Highway Authority has already shut down 104 km long projects worth Rs. 3263 crores, after which now a warning has been issued to shut down other projects worth Rs. 14200 crores, covering 293 kms. These include Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Highway. The letter also mentions the incidents that happened with the project workers in Jalandhar and Ludhiana. In relation to which MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla has also registered his protest today.
MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla said that Amritsar is a border area and Amritsar will benefit the most from the expressway. If these projects are shut down, then it will be difficult to compensate for the loss. He said that even after the meeting on July 15, Bhagwant Mann ji had said that he is now taking these projects in his hands and will get them completed himself, but even after that, everything has remained the same.
He said that the government has money to complete these projects for two years. The government only has to acquire the land and give it for which it has to get service charges but still the government is sitting silent.
MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla said that a lot of development is expected in Amritsar through this project. Every day lakhs of devotees come to Amritsar to pay obeisance, this will increase the number of tourists and business will increase.
MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla said that all the MLAs of Amritsar should also raise their voice in this regard. They were elected by the people to raise their voice but they too are sitting absolutely silent.
MP Aujla said that the state government should get the work completed by using the law and the system. Wherever there is a problem, talk to the officers but do not play with the coming generation. He said that with the repeated news of closing the project, it seems that there is no such thing as a government in Punjab. This is a big weakness of the Chief Minister because even after winning 92 MLAs, the condition of Punjab and especially Amritsar is bad.
He said that there are heaps of garbage in Amritsar, drug addiction is increasing continuously, law and order situation has deteriorated but the Chief Minister is silent.
He said that he himself has met Nitin Gadkari and when other projects are asked for, it is said that the earlier projects should be completed. He demanded that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann should pay serious attention to these projects and acquire land in the coming 10 to 15 days and hand it over to the National Highway Authority so that this project can run smoothly and Punjab can develop.