Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today urged the Union Minister for Road, Transport & Highways Dr. CP Joshi to seek his personal intervention for early resolution of the pending issues related to the state road infrastructure projects at the priority. In his address during the dedication ceremony of the first RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) Technology based electronic toll collection plaza and four- laned Zirakpur-Parwanoo section of National Highway-5 here, the Chief Minister impressed upon Dr. Joshi to direct the NHAI to upgrade the remaining stretch of about 11 km on NH-21 between Kharar-Kurali from existing two lane to four lane on its own instead of BOT basis as decided earlier because two toll plazas were already existing between Kharar and Ropar. Another toll plaza between Kharar and Kurali cannot be installed as per the guidelines if this section was upgraded on BOT basis. The Chief Minister also urged Dr. Joshi to direct the NHAI to immediately start work on the 20 KM section between Jalandhar and Dhilwan on National Highway No.1 which was still 2 lane and posing a sever bottleneck for traffic. He said that the upgradation of this small portion from 2 lane to 4 lane has become all the more important due to recent opening of integrated check post at Attari-Wagha to further boost the trade between India and Pakistan. Mr. Badal also asked the Union Minister to also issue directions to the NHAI to expedite the work on the 6 lane project on NH 1 from Shambhu border to Jalandhar which was now moving very slow and causing lot of inconvenience to traffic. Responding to the issues raised by Mr. Badal, the Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways in his address said that he would soon convene a joint meeting of the senior officers of his Ministry and NHAI for quick disposal of these pending issues so that the functioning of the infrastructure development in Punjab should not be hampered in anyway. He also sought cooperation and support from all the Chief Ministers in the implementation of National Road Infrastructure Development Projects to provide better public utility services to the masses. Earlier, the Chief Minister thanked Dr. Joshi for this first RFID Technology based Electronic Toll Collection Plaza in the country and 4 laning of Zirakpu-Parwanoo Section of NH-5. He also expressed gratitude to Union Minister for Culture, Housing & Urban Development and poverty Alleviation Kumari Selja for sanctioning Rs.600 crore for the urban development in Punjab and Rs.25 crore for Gurta-Gadi celebrations. Later the Chairman of the Jaypee Group Manoj Gaur proposed a vote of thanked on the occasion.
Prominent amongst others who attended the function included; Union Minister for Culture, Housing & Urban Development and poverty Alleviation Kumari Selja, Union Minister of State Tushar Chaudhary, Chief Minister Haryana Bhupinder Singh Hooda, MP from Himachal Pradesh Varinder Kashyap, PWD Minister Punjab . Sharnjit Singh Dhillon, Secretary PWD (B&R) Punjab PS Aujla, besides the senior officers of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.