Bhagwant Mann: Modern villages are being called the pride of Punjab, and the roads connecting them are fast becoming their calling card. Under the state’s ambitious 44,000-km road project, the Bhagwant Mann government has been building village-level roads across the state, work that is proving to be a major convenience not just for daily travel but for broader rural development as well.
Scale of the Project
The road construction drive, officially spanning 44,920 km, was launched with a total outlay of Rs 16,209 crore, making it the largest road project in the state’s history. The breakup includes 2,829 km of Public Works Department roads and 18,545 km of rural link roads at a combined cost of Rs 7,727 crore, alongside 22,291 km of roads under the Punjab Mandi Board and 1,255 km of urban roads managed by civic bodies. As part of this drive, the government has already completed construction of 19,373 km of rural link roads at a cost of Rs 4,092 crore.
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Quality Built to Last
A defining feature of the project is its five-year maintenance clause, requiring contractors to be accountable for road durability well beyond initial construction. CM Mann has directed that no shortcuts or substandard materials will be tolerated, with village panchayats required to pass resolutions confirming their satisfaction with construction quality before payments are released.
Beyond Travel, A Development Multiplier
Officials say the impact of the project extends well past smoother commutes. Better rural roads are helping farmers transport produce more efficiently, improving access to schools, hospitals and markets in previously isolated areas, and enabling faster emergency response in the countryside. Notably, the government has emphasised that the project is being funded entirely from Punjab‘s own resources, without any support from the Centre’s Rural Development Fund. Residents across urban and rural belts publicly praised the visibly improved road quality, often describing the new stretches in glowing terms on social media.
