Prime Minister’s flagship platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, PRAGATI, has marked a significant milestone with the successful conduct of its 50th meeting. Since its launch by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015, PRAGATI has transformed governance by enabling real-time monitoring and resolution of key infrastructure projects and public grievances through direct Prime Ministerial review. The platform exemplifies cooperative federalism, bringing together the Centre, States, and Union Ministries on a single digital interface. Over a decade, PRAGATI has helped accelerate decision-making, resolution of issues causing delay in key infrastructure projects and instilled a strong culture of accountability. PRAGATI’s proactive approach has enabled successful projects like the Phagwara-Rupnagar highway.
The 4-laning of the Phagwara-Rupnagar section of National Highway in Punjab represents a strategically important corridor, connecting the industrial clusters of Jalandhar and Phagwara. Spanning approximately 88 kilometer at a cost of over two thousand 574 crore rupees, the project established the shortest route between Amritsar and Chandigarh, strengthening access to major Sikh pilgrimage centres along the corridor. The project faced significant implementation challenges, primarily related to land acquisition and compensation disbursement. During the PRAGATI review meeting in August 2018, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued time-bound directions to address the core bottlenecks. The Government of Punjab was directed to acquire and hand over the balance land at the earliest.
The project ultimately achieved 100 percent physical progress and was successfully commissioned on 26TH June 2021, marking its integration into Punjab’s economic and mobility backbone. The project stands as a compelling example of how rigorous monitoring, decisive leadership, and cooperative federalism under PRAGATI can convert persistent land acquisition challenges into a fully realised infrastructure asset. The corridor was envisaged to reduce travel time, lower vehicle operating costs, and improve safety for both passengers and heavy commercial vehicles.
