The central government has decided to spend Rs 7,205 crore to eliminate traffic bottlenecks by realigning key highways in Punjab under the National Highway Development Project (NHDP). An official privy to the development told the media that under phase-1 of the ambitious Bharatmala Pariyojana, a centrally-sponsored and funded road and highways project, 223km area would be included for building bypasses over the state. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) brought up a plan to complete work for decongesting eight identified highways in the state. Officials told the media that the project intends to strengthen the present NH infrastructure by improving accident black spots to make driving safer. Several places have been identified on NHs that need traffic management solutions. Building bypasses by procuring new lands is a better idea as building flyovers may draw opposition from the shopkeepers and traders. As per the official information, detailed project reports (DPRs) are being made by the officials, and broad layouts have been offered for implementation. A budget of Rs 2,000 crore has been evaluated for the Jalandhar-Panipat national highway, one of the most active stretches in the North. The NHAI has proposed three bypasses on this stretch in Phagwara (5km), Punjab at Khanna (33km), and Phillaur (11km). Likewise, the Chandigarh-Bathinda national highway is planned to have new bypasses in Bhawanigarh, Patiala, and Rampura towns. The offered northern Patiala bypass is tipped to be 27 km comprising Rs 935 crore for land procurement and development. A total of Rs 1,573 crore has been proposed for the highway that links southern Punjab with Chandigarh. The NHAI has intended to spend Rs 935 crore to finish the remaining work on the Chandigarh-Bathinda-Amritsar highway. As per the proposal, a 27 km bypass will decongest the key highway network of the Malwa belt. A total of Rs 900 crore will be spent on another bypass project at Dasua, Mukerian, Pathankot and Bhogpur on the Jammu-Delhi highway. There is a plan to build bypasses in Mullanpur and Jagraon with a budget of Rs 530 crore on the Ludhiana-Ferozepur highway. Likewise, the central agency will spend Rs 495-crore to build the eastern Kurali bypass on the Chandigarh-Kurali road. A bypass is planned to be built in Moga on the Ludhiana-Talwandi highway at an evaluated price of Rs 400 crore. Besides, the NHAI has proposed the realignment of the Amritsar-Jalandhar road with a budget of Rs 375 crore. Image Source Also read: NH construction work worth Rs 1,500 cr approved in Punjab Also read: NHAI, Punjab forest dept launch drive to make highways green