Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today ordered the state finance department to immediately release Rs 23 crore for the expansion of the Sohana-Landran-Chunni road in Mohali.   He directed the chief principal secretary to issue instructions for an urgent completion of all the pending development projects in the state. Chairing a meeting to review the functioning and ongoing projects of the Public Works Department's (PWD) Building and Road wing, the chief minister assured that the funds required for the development works would be provided, said an official release.   

Singh also ordered the finance department to make available the necessary funds for the decongestion of the Landran junction.   He agreed to relook at the state notification on felling of trees along the state highways, causing road projects to be stalled. The government would take up the matter with the National Green Tribunal (NGT), he said. Earlier, PWD Secretary Hassan Lal informed the chief minister about the pending four-laning project of the Jalandhar-Hoshiarpur road due to an NGT ban on cutting of trees on both sides of the highways.   

Underlining the need to urgently upgrade the existing road infrastructure in the state, the chief minister directed the officials concerned to focus on a sustainable improvement in the overall road travel experience of the commuters. He ordered a stringent compliance with all the engineering guidelines for ensuring earthquake-resistant design structures in all the government building projects.   

Regarding linking the major cities of the state with the ring roads, Singh asked the officials to submit a proposal. Such connectivity would act as a great impetus for the overall development of business and industry in the state, he added. The chief minister also reviewed the progress of other ongoing projects, including the four-laning of the Zirakpur Patiala, Patiala-Sangrur-Bhatinda, Sangrur-Patran, Amritsar- Harike-Faridkot-Bhatinda roads.