DW BUREAU / New Delhi

Punjab minister Harjot Singh Bains on Wednesday called on Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and demanded improved road infrastructure in the state, besides calling for a four-lane road from Sri Kartarpur Sahib to the Nangal-Una border.

Highlighting the historical and geographical significance of Sri Anandpur Sahib, he stressed on the need for four-laning of roads connecting significant religious places such as Sri Kartarpur Sahib, Sri Anandpur Sahib and the Hindu pilgrimage site of Sri Naina Devi to facilitate smoother pilgrim movement.

Bains pointed out that detailed project reports for these proposed roads had already been prepared.

He also conveyed the urgency for four-laning of the road from Sri Kartarpur Sahib to the border of Himachal Pradesh's Una district at Mehatpur.

Bains explained that pilgrims from the Malwa, Doaba and the Majha regions extensively used the Banga-Sri Anandpur Sahib route, currently a link road prone to frequent accidents.

He requested upgrading this route to a national highway with four-lane connectivity.

The Punjab minister proposed constructing a new 50-kilometre greenfield expressway from Sri Anandpur Sahib to Sri Chamkaur Sahib to further connect Himachal Pradesh with the industrial city of Ludhiana in Punjab.

If constructed, this road will connect the Ropar-Ludhiana highway and the Kiratpur-Manali highway, Bains said and suggested naming it "Guru Gobind Singh Expressway".

A statement from the state government claimed that Gadkari expressed his willingness for improving infrastructure and four-laning the road from Sri Kiratpur Sahib to Mehatpur, and Banga to Sri Anandpur Sahib by giving it the status of national highway.

(editor@dailyworld.in)