Punjab To Spend Rs 35 Billion On Rural Road Repairs
ROADS & HIGHWAYS

Punjab To Spend Rs 35 Billion On Rural Road Repairs

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has announced an outlay of about Rs 35 billion to restore 19,000 kilometres of rural link roads across the state. Although no start date was given, the initiative aims to ease travel in farming areas and bolster economic activity.
Speaking at Guru Nanak Dev University, Mann criticised the Union Government for allegedly withholding Rs 60 billion from the Rural Development Fund (RDF)—money he said could have rebuilt every rural road. The RDF, a cess on procurement of farm produce for the Centre, finances rural roadworks.
Mann highlighted cost saving measures already in place, noting that the closure of 17 toll plazas now saves commuters roughly Rs 6.4 million each day. He added that the share of canal water used for irrigation has risen from 21 per cent in 2022 to 75 per cent today.
Road safety efforts have also progressed: fatalities have fallen by 48 per cent since the creation of the 1,597 strong Sadak Surakhya Force, which patrols the highways in 144 modern vehicles.
Turning to law enforcement, Mann made a veiled reference to recently arrested Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia, accused of laundering Rs 5.4 billion in drug proceeds. The Chief Minister said the “commanders” of the drug trade were “already behind bars” and promised further action, including confiscation and demolition of smugglers’ properties.
In Amritsar, Mann opened a new public library at the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Panorama and outlined local investments totalling about Rs 3.5 billion. These include Rs 563.6 million for new roads, Rs 2.87 billion for road upgrades and Rs 32 million for six new libraries.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has announced an outlay of about Rs 35 billion to restore 19,000 kilometres of rural link roads across the state. Although no start date was given, the initiative aims to ease travel in farming areas and bolster economic activity.Speaking at Guru Nanak Dev University, Mann criticised the Union Government for allegedly withholding Rs 60 billion from the Rural Development Fund (RDF)—money he said could have rebuilt every rural road. The RDF, a cess on procurement of farm produce for the Centre, finances rural roadworks.Mann highlighted cost saving measures already in place, noting that the closure of 17 toll plazas now saves commuters roughly Rs 6.4 million each day. He added that the share of canal water used for irrigation has risen from 21 per cent in 2022 to 75 per cent today.Road safety efforts have also progressed: fatalities have fallen by 48 per cent since the creation of the 1,597 strong Sadak Surakhya Force, which patrols the highways in 144 modern vehicles.Turning to law enforcement, Mann made a veiled reference to recently arrested Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia, accused of laundering Rs 5.4 billion in drug proceeds. The Chief Minister said the “commanders” of the drug trade were “already behind bars” and promised further action, including confiscation and demolition of smugglers’ properties.In Amritsar, Mann opened a new public library at the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Panorama and outlined local investments totalling about Rs 3.5 billion. These include Rs 563.6 million for new roads, Rs 2.87 billion for road upgrades and Rs 32 million for six new libraries.

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

DCPC Prepares for Special Campaign 5.0 with Focus on E-Waste

The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, is gearing up for Special Campaign 5.0, to be held from 2nd to 31st October 2025. The initiative will focus on e-waste disposal as per MoEFCC’s E-Waste Management Rules 2022, space optimisation, and enhancing workplace efficiency across field offices.Special Campaign 4.0, conducted between October 2023 and October 2024, delivered notable results in record management, grievance redressal, scrap disposal, and cleanliness drives.Key outcomes of Special Campaign 4.0Records management: 2,443 physical fil..

Next Story
Real Estate

BlackRock India Leases 1.4 Lakh Sq Ft in Bengaluru

BlackRock Services India, the domestic arm of global asset manager BlackRock, has leased 1.4 lakh sq ft of office space at IndiQube Symphony in Bengaluru, according to Propstack data. The 10-year deal is valued at around Rs 4.10 billion.The lease, among the largest transactions in India’s co-working sector, highlights the growing preference of global institutions for flexible office providers. The agreement, commencing October 1, 2025, covers ground plus five floors in KNG Tower 1 at Ashoknagar, MG Road — one of Bengaluru’s prime commercial hubs.As per the lease document, BlackRock will ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

L&T Bags Rs 25–50 Bn Order for Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Track Works

Larsen & Toubro’s (L&T) Transportation Infrastructure business has secured an order valued between Rs 25 crore and Rs 50 billion from the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor.The contract, Package T1, involves the design, supply, construction, testing, and commissioning of 156 route km of high-speed ballastless track on a Design-Build Lump Sum Price basis. The stretch runs from Mumbai’s Bandra-Kurla Complex to Zaroli village in Gujarat and includes 21 km of underground track and 135 km of elevated viaduct.Se..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?