Dr. CP Joshi, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, recently dedicated to the nation the country’s first RFID technology-based electronic toll collection plaza at Chandimandir, Punchkula (Haryana) and four-laned Zirakpur-Parwanoo section of NH-5 in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Joshi observed that it was time to make co-ordinated efforts by the Central and State Governments to fulfill the dream of making India a really developed nation, for which a qualitative infrastructure development is a must. The Centre has laid adequate stress on infrastructure development in the 11th and the forthcoming 12th Five Year Plan with a view to increasing the national GDP.
Referring to the new RFID toll plaza, he said that all the highways in the country would be provided the RFID technique which helps users to make payment without stopping at toll plazas and reduces traffic congestion and commuting time. Toll statements can also be made available online to road users, and they need not have to halt for receipt. Besides satisfying functional requirements, this is the cheapest mode for collection.
He disclosed that the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has completed projects of 491 km roads costing Rs. 1,913 crores in Haryana, 357 km roads worth Rs. 1,419 crores in Punjab and 5 km worth Rs. 50 crores in Himachal Pradesh. The projects under implementation are 969 km of Rs. 5,962 crores in Haryana, 645 km of Rs. 4,791 crores in Punjab and 124 km of Rs. 1,994 crores in Himachal Pradesh. The projects of 508 km worth Rs. 3,574 crores in Haryana, 454 km worth Rs. 3,301 crores in Punjab and 204 km worth Rs. 3,664 crores have also been awarded to NHAI.
Dr. Joshi assured compliance of the balance projects of Rohtak-Hisar, Ambala-Kaithal, Kaithal-Rajasthan border, and Hisar-Dabwali in Haryana, Jalandhar-Amritsar, Ludhiana-Chandigarh, Sri Gangananagar-Amritsar, and Jalandhar-Haryana border in Punjab, and Parwanoo-Solan, Solan-Shimla, and Ner Chowk-Manali in Himachal Pradesh soon after the scrutiny of technical aspects of these projects.
On the occasion, the Union Minister for Culture and HUPA, Ms. Selja, said that highway development is a flagship programme and the Government is committed to provide uninterrupted road connectivity in all parts of the country. She also urged Dr. Joshi to exempt the daily commuters of peripheral area from toll tax at the newly set-up toll plaza.
Mr. Prakash Singh Badal, Punjab Chief Minister, and Mr. Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Haryana Chief Minister, conveyed their gratitude to the Union Minister for connecting Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh with the new Himalayan Expressway from Zirakpur to Parwanoo section.
Mr. Randeep Singh Surjewala, Haryana PWD Minister, highlighted the issues related to construction of new flyovers and underpasses in the State.