Highway projects worth Rs 5.5 cr in Punjab lagging behind schedule

28 Jul 2021 CW Team

The national highway projects in Punjab are running behind schedule. There are overall 33 national projects under ongoing construction, 580.49 lengths, and costing Rs 5,573.56 crore.

The state Public works department (PWD) is the nodal company of the 29 projects, and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is implementing other four projects. Costing Rs 463 crore, work for the eight projects has been granted, but it has not started yet.

Punjab is one of the states which had the worst impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Following strict restrictions, lockdowns, and curfews throughout the first and second waves of the pandemic.

Currently, Punjab has 71,912 km of the road network, out of which 1,097 km is classified as state highways, and 2,677 km is identified as the national highways.

The worst-hit projects consist of the 77 km range from the Moga-Tallewal section of NH-71, worth Rs 904.82 crore and the 49 km long Jalandhar-Hoshiarpur section NH-70, including an approved cost of Rs 1,069.59 crore. Each of these projects would be missing the revised deadline of August 2021 and June 2022.

The other significant projects running late include four-lane of Bathinda to Malout, NH-354 section from Ferozepur-Muktsar-Malout up-gradation to two-lane, four-lane of Talwandi Bhai to Ferozepur, and correcting black spots on various roads.

According to the predictions, the third wave, which is projected to hit by August this year, would further delay the completion of these projects. Following the strict limitations of daily movement.

As per the plan formed to tackle the third wave, if the positivity rate reaches the 5% limit advised by the World Health Organisation (WHO), then the state has to undergo strict lockdown restraints.

Image Source

Also read: NHAI develops 4,788 km highways in FY21 at Rs 1.7 lakh cr

Equipment

12 Dec 2025

Schwing Stetter India Unveils New Innovations at Excon 2025

Schwing Stetter India unveiled more than 20 new machines at Excon 2025, marking one of its most significant showcases and introducing several India-first technologies to the construction equipment sector. The company launched the country’s first 56-metre boom pump designed and manufactured in India, the first fully electric truck mixer, the first CNG mixer variant and the first hybrid boom pump. Executives said the launch portfolio was engineered to support India’s move toward faster, greener and more vertically oriented infrastructure through advanced engineering, clean-energy solutions a..

SEPC Resolves Hindustan Copper Dispute, Wins Rs 725 Mn Order

Engineering, procurement and construction firm SEPC Ltd has recently settled a dispute with Hindustan Copper Ltd (HCL) and secured a mining infrastructure order valued at Rs 725 million from the state-owned company. SEPC informed the stock exchanges that it has executed a settlement deed with HCL, bringing closure to all inter-se claims and counterclaims arising from arbitration proceedings. As part of the settlement, SEPC will receive Rs 304.5 million as full and final payment, marking the resolution of all pending disputes between the two entities. The company also stated that Hindustan Co..

20% Ethanol Blending Cuts India’s CO2 Emissions by 73.6 Mn Tonnes

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari recently said that India has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 73.6 million metric tonnes due to the adoption of 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol. He made the statement while replying to supplementary questions during the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha. Describing ethanol as a green fuel, the minister said it plays a key role in reducing pollution while also supporting higher incomes for farmers. He underlined that ethanol blending contributes both to environmental sustainability and rural economic growth. Nitin Gadkari also po..