CHANDIGARH: Multiple key road infrastructure projects in Punjab including major national highway developments and those under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-III (PMGSY), are facing serious setbacks, with no clear timeline for completion.
As many as sixteen national highway projects worth ₹12,700 crore, being implemented by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Punjab Public Works Department (PWD), have either been stalled, significantly delayed, or face termination. The primary reasons cited are land acquisition hurdles and delays in obtaining statutory clearances.
Simultaneously, rural road development has also taken a hit. Projects under PMGSY-III worth ₹828.87 crore, involving the upgradation of 64 roads and construction of 38 bridges, have been scrapped due to the state government’s failure to float tenders and commence construction on time.
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, in a written reply to Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, confirmed that eight projects are being executed by NHAI and another eight by the state PWD, all of which have encountered delays or stoppages.
“Projects in the state of Punjab are mainly delayed, stalled, or terminated due to land acquisition issues and delay in obtaining statutory clearances. The government is taking requisite measures, in consultation with stakeholders including the state government, to resolve these issues,” the Minister stated in Parliament.
Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway (Spur-II): 30.5 km stretch worth ₹2,197.17 crore terminated due to lack of land; fresh bids to be invited once land is acquired.
Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway (Spur-III): 28.07 km stretch worth ₹1,951.70 crore delayed, now scheduled for completion by 30 November 2026.
Amritsar–Bathinda (Package-I): 39 km project worth ₹1,229.38 crore, originally set to finish by November 2024, now delayed until 31 December 2026.
Amritsar–Ghoman–Tanda–Una (Package-I): 45.73 km stretch worth ₹1,443.47 crore also delayed, with a new completion target of 30 June 2026.
Package-II of this corridor (31.05 km, ₹818.41 crore) has been terminated due to land issues.
The Ludhiana–Rupnagar corridor has also been severely affected:
Package-I (37.7 km, ₹1,368.91 crore): Work halted after the contractor issued a termination notice over delayed land handover; matter is under review by a Conciliation Committee.
Package-II (47.24 km, ₹1,488.23 crore): Terminated for similar reasons; re-tendering will occur post land possession.
Jalandhar–Hoshiarpur (NH-3, 39.13 km): Sanctioned for ₹1,069.59 crore, awarded in 2017, now facing termination due to persistent land acquisition delays.
Widening of a 3.57 km stretch of same highway (₹15.04 crore): Facing right-of-way constraints; revised completion date: 30 November 2025.
Makhu–Arifke (NH-703A, 24.6 km): Worth ₹192.48 crore, including two ROBs, now rescheduled to finish by 31 December 2025 (original deadline was May 2021).
ROB at Fazilka (NH-07, ₹38.02 crore): Delayed due to pending railway clearances, now progressing with a target completion date of 31 October 2025.
Arifke–Ferozepur–Muktsar–Malout (NH-354, 63.27 km, ₹263.19 crore): Delayed due to NOCs from the Irrigation Department and land issues.
Muktsar Sahib–Malout section (27.66 km, ₹152.58 crore): Toll plaza construction stalled; PWD advised to redesign within available land.
Road and bridge projects sanctioned under PMGSY-III have been scrapped due to the Punjab government’s inability to initiate work before the required deadline of 31 March.
The Centre had sanctioned 64 rural roads (628.48 km) and 38 bridges (each over 15 metres in length) for a total of ₹828.87 crore. Some of these were located in sensitive border districts such as Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, and Tarn Taran.
In correspondence with the Union Ministry of Rural Development, Punjab’s PWD stated that many of these roads were recommended for urgent repairs by Members of Parliament and were of "utmost importance."
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also wrote to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan requesting reconsideration, stating that without these bridges, the completed roads would be “of little use.”
However, the Centre responded that only projects tendered and already under construction by the original March 2025 deadline — now extended to March 2026 — would be allowed to continue.
“Works which have started on the ground but are not feasible to continue further shall be foreclosed,” the Ministry clarified.
Sources revealed that 59 of the roadworks were to be implemented using Full Depth Reclamation (FDR) technology, for which very few consultancy firms in India have adequate expertise — another contributing factor to the delays.
With Punjab’s road infrastructure plans facing widespread disruption, the delays pose serious questions over administrative efficiency, land management, and inter-agency coordination at both the state and central levels.