The Centre has cancelled road and bridge projects worth over ₹800 crore in Punjab under the PMGSY-III scheme, citing delays in construction and tendering processes.
Chandigarh: The Central Government has officially cancelled road and bridge projects valued at ₹828.87 crore that were allocated to Punjab under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-III). This decision was made due to delays in the tendering process and the commencement of construction, further straining the already financially burdened state government.
This cancellation marks a significant setback for Punjab, which is grappling with the Centre’s earlier decision to withhold over ₹7,000 crore in Rural Development Fund (RDF) grants. These funds are crucial for rural infrastructure development and road repairs across the state.
Documents reviewed by The Sunday Guardian reveal that the PMGSY-III allocation for Punjab included plans for upgrading 64 roads covering a total of 628.48 kilometers, along with the construction of 38 bridges, each exceeding 15 meters in length. The total projected cost for these initiatives was ₹828.87 crore, and the state was mandated to initiate work on these projects by March 31.
However, officials from the Punjab Public Works Department (PWD) indicated that 59 of the proposed works were designed to utilize Full Depth Reclamation (FDR) technology. This specialized technique is only available through a limited number of consultancy firms in India. A senior PWD officer explained, “As per the conditions outlined in the sanction letter, tenders for hiring a consultancy firm were issued multiple times, but we could only finalize one on May 29, after our fourth attempt.”
Additionally, another package, which includes four roads and 35 bridges sanctioned in March 2025, is still in the tendering phase, with construction expected to begin this month.
PWD officials have expressed concerns that cancelling these projects at this stage could incite public discontent, particularly in areas where road conditions are already poor. “Many of these roads are located in the border districts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, and Tarn Taran, and were highlighted by local MPs as requiring urgent repairs,” stated a letter from the Punjab PWD to the Secretary of the Union Ministry of Rural Development.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has also reached out to Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, emphasizing the urgent need to proceed with the construction. “The 38 bridges are intended to be built on roads that have already been completed under PMGSY-III. Without these bridges, the roads will be of little utility,” Mann emphasized in his correspondence.
In response to Punjab’s request for an extension beyond the original March 2025 deadline, the Union Ministry of Rural Development indicated that the deadline has been extended to March 31, 2026, but only for projects that have already been tendered and where construction has commenced. The ministry clarified, “Works that have started on the ground but are not feasible to continue shall be foreclosed. Additionally, projects that have commenced but are unlikely to be completed by March 2026 may also be terminated.”
This situation highlights the growing tensions between the Punjab state government and the Central Government regarding funding for rural infrastructure. Punjab officials have warned that stalled projects could exacerbate road conditions in strategically important and economically significant regions.
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