Bathinda, January 9
The 6-laning and upgradation work of the Jodhpur Romana (Bathinda) – Sangat Kalan – Mandi Dabwali section of National Highway-54 has been substantially completed. A project site visit’s conducted to review the progress and implementation of this important infrastructure project developed by NHAI. This project forms an integral part of the Amritsar- Bathinda- Jamnagar Economic Corridor, a strategically significant corridor aimed to strengthen economic connectivity between Punjab and western India. The project section starts from Jodhpur Romana village in Bathinda district and extends up to Mandi Dabwali, covering a total length of 27.400 KM.
The project involves upgradation of the existing highway to a 6-lane configuration designed to ensure safer, faster and efficient movement of traffic. The upgraded highway will significantly reduce travel time, enhance road safety and improve overall riding comfort for commuters as well as freight traffic.
Out of the total project length of 27.4 km, only 0.310 km remains to be completed due to pending land acquisition issue which is being resolved amicably with the support of the District Administration; meanwhile, the entire stretch has already been opened to traffic, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity for road users.
Further, the toll plaza located at Village Jassi Bagwali is fully operational with state of the art toll collection system facilitating efficient traffic management and systematic revenue collection for the maintenance and sustainability of the corridor.
This corridor holds immense economic importance as it serves several Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and proposed industrial clusters, including eight industrial clusters proposed in Ludhiana namely Oil Expeller & Parts Cluster, Wire Drawing Cluster, Tractor Parts Cluster, Sheet Metal Cluster, Garments Cluster, Auto Parts/Auto Tech Cluster, Sewing Machine Cluster and Printing & Stationery/Packaging Cluster. The nine industrial clusters in Jalandhar include Sports Goods Cluster, Hand Tools Cluster, Surgical/Medical Instruments Cluster (Jalandhar area), Rubber Goods/Valves & Cocks Cluster, Leather/Footwear Cluster (typical to Jalandhar industrial profile), Auto Parts Cluster (Jalandhar variant), Agriculture Implements (Jalandhar vicinity), General Engineering/Foundry-related Activities and Printing/Packaging/Light Engineering (proposed).
By providing seamless connectivity to these industrial hubs in Bathinda and Ludhiana, the project is expected to facilitate smoother movement of goods, reduce logistics costs, and promote industrial growth and investment in the region.
In addition to economic benefits, the project significantly enhances connectivity to important religious and tourist destinations, thereby supporting tourism and cultural exchange. These include Amritsar, a major religious and tourist center; Sultanpur Lodi, historically associated with Sri Guru Nanak Dev and Talwandi Sabo, one of the five Takhts of Sikhism. The development of this highway section will also contribute to regional development, generate employment opportunities during both construction and operation phases, and improve accessibility for local communities, farmers, and businesses.
The site visit underscores NHAI’s commitment towards developing modern, world-class highway infrastructure aimed at fostering sustainable growth, improving mobility and strengthening the nation’s economic corridors.
