The four-laning of the 48 kms Phagwara to Hoshiarpur road project developed under the Bharatmala Pariyojana scheme worth Rs 1,553 crore has received centre’s approval. Planned to be completed in two years, the road project once completed will cut down the travel time from one hour to 30 minutes, according to a senior official of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
“The project for the four-laning of Phagwara to Hoshiarpur road (NH 344B), including Phagwara and Hoshiarpur Bypass under the Bharatmala Pariyojana scheme, district Jalandhar, Karpurthala, SBS Nagar and Hoshiarpur, in Punjab has been approved at the total cost of Rs 1,553.07 crore on Hybrid Annuity Mode,” the union road transport and highways minister, Nitin Gadkari, said in a recent tweet.
The corridor starts from NH-44 near Jamalpur (Phagwara) and ends at Hoshiarpur on NH-503A. After the completion, it would also provide faster connectivity between NH 44 and NH 503A (Amritsar–Tanda–Una), he added.
Gadkari further said that the development of the road section will improve the movement along the existing highway, leading to easy and safe traffic movement, significant reduction in travel time and substantial gain in terms of reduced Vehicle Operating Cost (VOC). The project will boost the infrastructure in the region, which would result in the overall economic development in the surrounding areas.
At present, commuters are facing a tough time travelling to Hoshiarpur as the Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur highway project via Adampur was delayed due to land acquisition disputes. Once completed, the upcoming project will prove to be of a great convenience, Gadkari said.