Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, CM Bhagwant Mann (File Photo)
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Ma has written to Union Road Transport and National Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari. In the letter, the Chief Minister said that the state government fully understands the importance of the NHAI project. Punjab Government is committed to speedy implementation of these projects. He said that the state government is actively supporting NHAI in land acquisition and other related matters. Bhagwant Singh Ma said that most NHAI projects in the state are on track except a few.
The Chief Minister said that in both the cases mentioned by Nitin Gadkari, the local police immediately registered an FIR under relevant sections of the Act. He further said that arrests have been made in both these cases. Bhagwant Singh Ma said that the incident occurred due to the contractor not paying the balance of funds to its subcontractor and said that both the incidents were caused by the contractor.
Police worried about NHAI security
The Chief Minister said that Punjab Police is the best force, NHAI is committed to look after the security concerns and has already directed the local police to deploy patrolling teams in the area to maintain law and order. He said that as far as land acquisition related issues are concerned, the Union Minister should appreciate that the farmers of the state are emotionally attached to their land, as it is their valuable asset and it is their main source of livelihood.
Farmers supported NHAI
Bhagwant Singh Ma said that land prices are high in Punjab, so farmers are not ready to give their land if they feel they are not getting land prices. The Chief Minister said that there were many cases in which farmers were satisfied with the price given by middlemen and possession of their land was handed over to NHAI at fixed rates.
He told the Union Minister that on his instructions the Chief Secretary of the State is already holding regular review meetings with NHAI and Deputy Commissioners of NHAI to remove the bottlenecks being faced by NHAI. He himself is thinking of talking to the farmers on this issue.
