Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has sent a warning letter to the Punjab Government over the lack of action and declining law & order in the state. Addressing Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, Nitin Gadkari's letter stated that the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) will cancel eight major highway projects in Punjab, valued at approximately Rs 14,288 crore if the prevailing law and order situation does not improve. Gadkari's letter to Bhawant Mann comes in the backdrop of reports of violence and intimidation related to the ongoing construction of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway. Nitin Gadkari's letter also highlights attacks on engineers and contractors in Jalandhar, as well as threats made by miscreants in Ludhiana to harm project staff and facilities. Below is what Nitin Gadkari's letter to Bhagwant Mann said-
NHAI is developing Greenfield and Brownfield National Highway corridors including Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway in the State of Punjab. In this regard, I want to highlight serious safety concerns for NHAI officers, contractors and their staff as well as issues related to pending land acquisition matters.
2. I have been informed about two untoward incidents which occurred recently on Delhi-Katra Expressway projects. In one incident in Jalandhar District, the Engineer of the Contractor was brutally assaulted (photographs enclosed). Although FIR has been registered in this regard, strong action is required to be taken against the perpetrators. In another incident in Ludhiana District, the Project camp of the Contractor of Delhi-Katra Expressway was attacked by miscreants (photographs enclosed) who also threatened the Engineers to burn the project camp and their staff alive. However, FIR has still not been filed and the miscreants have not been arrested despite written request by NHAI officers.
3. I request that the State Government immediately take corrective measures, file FIRs and take strong action against the perpetrators in order to prevent such incidents in future and to restore the confidence of NHAI officers and staff of the concessionaires.
4. As you are aware, on 15.07.2024, I had reviewed progress NH projects in Punjab with the Public Works Minister of Punjab and concerned officers of MORTH, NHAI and State Government. During the meeting, it was assured that pending issues related to land acquisition and law and order would be resolved on priority. However, it has been brought to my notice that no progress has been made in this regard and the situation has further worsened
5. It is pertinent to note here that due to pending issues related to land acquisition and the prevailing law & order conditions, number of contractors/concessionaires have requested to foreclose contracts and have raised claims against NHAI. NHAI has already terminated 3 projects in Punjab with total length 104 km and costing 3,263 crore (Annexure-1). If the situation does not improve, NHAI will have no other option but to cancel/ terminate 8 other severely affected projects with total length of 293 km costing ₹14,288 crore (Annexure-2). These are mainly Greenfield corridors and cancelling even one package will render the entire corridor useless.
6. In view of the above, I earnestly request your personal intervention in these matters which would go long way in resolving the pending issues in NH projects thereby expediting development of NH infrastructure in Punjab."