Patiala MP Advocates for Highway Expansion in Meeting with Union Minister
In a significant development for Punjab's infrastructure, Patiala MP Dr Dharamvira Gandhi met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi on Monday. The Congress parliamentarian pressed for central government intervention to upgrade the critical Patiala-Patran stretch of State Highway 10 into a modern four-lane corridor.
Safety Concerns and Economic Imperatives Drive Demand
Dr Gandhi emphasized that the current two-lane configuration of this vital highway poses serious safety hazards while simultaneously acting as a bottleneck for regional economic development. The MP described the corridor as crucial for commuters traveling between Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi, highlighting the increasing vehicular load that has rendered the existing infrastructure inadequate.
State Highway 10 traverses through Patiala and Sangrur districts, stretching approximately 75 kilometers from Patiala to Moonak via Samana, Ghagga, and Patran. Despite serving as a primary link connecting towns and villages of the Malwa belt to broader national road networks, the highway remains constrained by its two-lane capacity, unable to accommodate growing traffic volumes.
Accident History and Previous Advocacy Efforts
The road's alarming accident record has drawn consistent concern from commuters and local authorities alike. Multiple fatal incidents along the Ghagga-Patran stretch have resulted in cases being registered under rash driving and negligence provisions of the law. "Last year, the lives of six school children were claimed in a crash in Samana," Dr Gandhi recalled during the meeting, revealing that he had written more than seven letters to the Punjab chief minister urging coordination with the central government on this matter.
Beyond safety considerations, the Patiala-Patran highway serves as a key artery for agricultural produce transportation, inter-district commerce, and daily commuter movement connecting the Malwa heartland to Patiala city and onward toward Haryana. Infrastructure experts and local stakeholders argue that the current configuration is fundamentally inadequate for the volume of heavy vehicles, buses, and private transport it carries daily.
Minister's Response and Procedural Requirements
In response to the MP's appeal, Minister Gadkari clarified that under revised policy guidelines, the central government does not automatically undertake state highway projects. Inclusion of a state highway in central road schemes requires formal request and recommendation from the respective state government. The minister indicated that the matter currently rests with the Prime Minister's Office and suggested that the Punjab government formally request the project be taken up under the PM Gati Shakti framework.
PM Gati Shakti represents a comprehensive national master plan designed to integrate infrastructure schemes across various ministries and state governments, encompassing road, waterways, and logistics corridors to enhance connectivity and economic competitiveness. State governments can access central funding and coordination support for eligible projects by routing proposals through this framework.
Previous Initiatives and Current Status
The road has previously attracted private sector interest, with construction and operation of the Patiala-Samana-Patran route explored on a Build-Operate-Transfer basis under the Punjab public works department. However, no major central-funded four-laning initiative has materialized for this critical stretch to date.
With the project now pending before the PMO and the Union minister outlining the procedural route through PM Gati Shakti, advocates emphasize that the onus lies squarely with the Chandigarh administration to make the next formal move. Dr Gandhi expressed hope that the Punjab government would act swiftly to submit the necessary request, enabling expedited project implementation for public safety and regional development.
The MP's intervention has successfully renewed both public and political attention on this long-standing infrastructure issue, bringing renewed focus to a corridor that serves as an economic lifeline for multiple districts while posing persistent safety challenges in its current state.
