Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann writes to Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan: ‘Don't drop road, bridge projects'
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Chandigarh: With uncertainty hanging over centrally-sponsored road projects in the state, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann has sought the intervention of Union minister of rural development
Shivraj Singh Chouhan
to ensure the continuation of key road and bridge projects under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-III (PMGSY-III) in the state.
The appeal comes in light of a recent directive from the Union ministry of rural development that works which have not been tendered and works which have not started on the ground will be dropped.
The CM's Aug 12 letter focused on 64 roads (628.48km) and 35 bridges, which are planned for construction using a new, environment-friendly technology called Full Depth Reclamation (FDR). He emphasised that dropping these projects would not only "hamper overall connectivity" but also "defeat the essence of the PMGSY-III project", which is designed to connect, upgrade, and strengthen rural road infrastructure.
"In case the construction of these long-span bridges (LSBs) is not taken up now, it will not only defeat the purpose of upgradation of the said roads under PMGSY-III but the expenditure incurred on the roads will also be wasteful because the locations will be more prone to accidents," Mann said. "The bridges fall on roads approved under PMGSY-III…I shall be grateful for your kind intervention to consider these bridges as part of the ongoing works of PMGSY-III and allow the execution of these works," added the letter.
Before this, Punjab secretary of public works department Ravi Bhagat wrote to the Centre on July 21, pointing out that of the total 339 sanctioned road works under PMGSY-III, 202 road works stood completed, 68 road works were in progress and would be completed by March 31, 2026. "There are 59 works to be executed using FDR technology. The tenders for these works are in progress and these works are likely to commence in Aug/Sept 2025.
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The letter added, "In addition to the FDR project, another project comprising four roads and 35 bridges was sanctioned by the Centre on March 31, 2025, for which the tendering process is in progress. Reconstruction of these bridges on roads is of utmost necessity as otherwise these locations will become accident-prone/black spots."
"Under these circumstances, wherein 59 road works with FDR technology, four road works, and 35 bridges are on the verge of commencement, dropping these works at this stage would cause hue and cry among the general public of the state as the condition of the roads is very poor.
In addition to these, some of the roads fall in the border areas of Amritsar, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, and Tarn Taran and would cause discontentment among the MPs, who have put in great efforts for the inclusion of these projects for their respective constituencies," said Bhagat.
On July 11, the Union ministry of rural development said that while the timeline for the completion of PMGSY-III had been extended up to March 31, 2026, works which have not been tendered and works which have not started on the ground will be dropped. The state govt has requested that the bridges be considered as ongoing work and that all these pending projects, especially in the border districts, be allowed to be executed under the PMGSY-III scheme to ensure complete and functional rural connectivity.
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