"Alleges, CM delaying NOC despite Railways offering to bear entire ₹70 Crore Cost"
LUDHIANA: Union Minister for Railways and Food Processing, Ravneet Singh Bittu, has issued a two-day ultimatum to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to approve the long-pending construction of a vital railway overbridge on the Doraha–Sahnewal stretch in Ludhiana.
Speaking at an election meeting in the Ludhiana West constituency on Tuesday, Bittu accused the state government of obstructing a crucial development project by withholding a No Objection Certificate (NOC) required for the bridge. He said the file seeking clearance from the Public Works Department has been pending with the Chief Minister's Office for over six months.
“The NOC is essential to connect the overbridge with the state highway, and I have already conveyed to the Punjab government that the Indian Railways will bear the full construction cost of ₹70 crore, ” Bittu said, slamming CM Mann for “sitting on the file despite repeated requests.”
The Union Minister warned that if the NOC is not granted within two days, he would “gatecrash” the Chief Minister’s camp office to question him directly. “I will expose Bhagwant Mann’s double standards on development in front of the people of Ludhiana. He cannot go scot-free on this issue, ” Bittu asserted.
He further alleged that while the Chief Minister speaks of development during election campaigns, he is actively blocking central government-backed infrastructure projects in the state.
Appealing to voters to support BJP candidate Jiwan Gupta in the Ludhiana West by-election, Bittu linked the progress of such key projects to the BJP’s potential governance in Punjab. He also highlighted national security achievements under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including Operation Sindhoor, stating that “Modi has made the country proud by striking terror hubs in Pakistan.”
Urging party workers to mobilize voter support, Bittu expressed confidence that the BJP would secure victory in the bypoll, calling it crucial for both Ludhiana’s development and the broader mission of nation building.