‘Will nix NH projects if law and order issues persist’: Gadkari warns Punjab CM Mann

NEW DELHI: The NHAI will have “no option but to cancel/ terminate” eight more “severely affected” highway projects in Punjab costing Rs 14,288 crore, if the law and order situation doesn’t improve, road transport minister Nitin Gadkari wrote to Punjab CM Bhawant Mann on Friday.
The minister’s ultimatum comes amid reports of untoward incidents on the under construction Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, including engineers and employees of contractors being beaten up in Jalandhar and miscreants threatening to burn the project camp and staff alive in Ludhiana.The minister said that since these are greenfield corridors, even cancelling one package will render the entire stretch “useless”.
Gadkari, in his letter, highlighted serious safety concerns for NHAI officers, contractors and their staff as well as issues related to pending land acquisition. He attached photos of assaults in his communication to Mann.
Referring to a recent review meeting of NH projects on July 15 that he chaired, Gadkari said he was assured pending issues related to land acquisition and law and order would be resolved on priority.
Gadkari said, “However, it has been brought to my notice that no progress has been made and the situation has further worsened.” He added that due to pending issues related to land acquisition and prevailing law and order conditions, “a number of concessionaires” have requested to foreclose contracts and raised claims against NHAI. NHAI has already terminated three projects costing Rs 3,263 crore citing non-availability of land.