Punjab is undergoing one of the largest road infrastructure overhauls in its history. From record-breaking state government announcements to long-delayed national expressways finally inching toward completion, the state’s highway story in 2026 is one of both enormous ambition and real-world obstacles. If you live in Punjab, travel through it, or have family there, understanding what is happening on the roads matters…both for daily life and for the region’s long-term economic future.
Here is a full and up-to-date breakdown of every major highway and road construction development currently unfolding in Punjab, India.
1. The Biggest Road Project in Punjab’s History — Rs 16,209 Crore and 44,920 Kilometres
Let’s start with the headline news. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann unveiled an extensive road development initiative in late November 2025 that will see the construction of 44,920 km of road stretches across the state, backed by an investment of Rs 16,209 crore.  To put that into perspective, 44,920 km of road is enough to circle the Earth more than once. This is, by any measure, a staggering undertaking.
The plan covers multiple categories of road infrastructure. It includes 2,829 km of Public Works Department (PWD) roads and 18,545 km of rural link roads, which together account for an expenditure of Rs 7,727 crore. A further 22,291 km of roads under the Punjab Mandi Board will be built at a cost of Rs 7,697 crore, while 1,255 km of urban roads under various civic bodies will be developed with an outlay of Rs 785 crore. 
What makes this announcement stand out is not just the scale, but the quality accountability measures attached to it. The Chief Minister announced the project comes with a five-year maintenance clause, ensuring the highest quality standards along with world-class road safety features.  In plain terms, this means the contractors who build the roads are legally responsible for keeping them in good condition for five full years after completion, a safeguard against the notoriously short lifespan of roads that has frustrated Punjabis for decades.
Mann directed contractors not to compromise on the quality of materials and work, and said villages will pass resolutions stating they are satisfied with the materials used for the roads, and only then money will be released.  This community accountability measure is a new approach, designed to prevent the shoddy construction that has plagued past projects.
Importantly, the government is fully funding the project despite not receiving central Rural Development Fund support.  This is politically significant, the Punjab government is proceeding with this massive investment without waiting for central funds that the state claims have not been released.
2. The Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway…Punjab’s Most Watched Project
No highway in Punjab attracts more attention than the Delhi–Amritsar–Katra (DAK) Expressway. This is a mega-project that, when complete, will transform travel between India’s capital city, the holy city of Amritsar, and Katra in Jammu & Kashmir, the gateway to the famous Vaishno Devi shrine.
The Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway, initially slated for earlier completion, has already been delayed by over two years. Authorities now project that the project will be completed by November 2026. 
Spanning 670 km, the expressway is expected to greatly improve connectivity between the national capital, Amritsar, and Katra, providing a critical link for devotees and travellers alike.  The expressway is being built as 4-lane (expandable to 8 lanes), and passes through the states of Haryana, Punjab, and Jammu & Kashmir.
The project has been divided into 21 construction packages across two phases. The Punjab stretch, which covers a significant portion of the route, has been one of the most troubled sections. Several individual packages have either been terminated, stalled, or pushed back significantly:
• The Amritsar connectivity Spur II (worth Rs 2,197 crore and covering 30.05 km) was terminated entirely due to “non-availability of land,” with fresh bids to be issued after possession.  In simpler terms, the government could not acquire the land needed to build this section, and the original contract had to be cancelled from scratch.
• Spur III (Rs 1,951 crore, 28.1 km) remains under construction but will be completed over two years late, now targeting November 2026. 
• Three sections of the DAK Expressway…Phase I Package VIII, Phase I Package X, and Phase I Package XI…have been stalled or terminated. 
Despite these setbacks, the project remains one of the most strategically important infrastructure investments in north India, and authorities are working to resolve the remaining obstacles before the end of 2026.
3. Half of Punjab’s National Highway Projects Are Behind Schedule
The DAK Expressway is not alone in its struggles. A report from March 2026 painted a sobering picture of highway construction across Punjab as a whole.
Half of Punjab’s national highway projects have been delayed by over one year. Other projects that have witnessed significant delays include the four-lane Amritsar–Ghoman–Tanda–Una section, the Amritsar (Airport Junction)–Ramdas stretch, the four/six-lane Ludhiana–Roopnagar Greenfield project, and the six-lane Amritsar–Bathinda corridor. 
The Amritsar–Bathinda Package I (Rs 1,229 crore, 39 km) and Amritsar–Ghoman–Tanda–Una Package I (Rs 1,443 crore, 45.73 km) have both been pushed back to 2026. Package II of the latter (Rs 818 crore, 31.05 km) has been scrapped entirely due to land unavailability. 
The 4/6-lane Ludhiana–Roopnagar highway has been stalled since 2024.  This stretch is particularly important as it connects two of Punjab’s major industrial and urban centres.
The situation in Hoshiarpur district is especially concerning. In Hoshiarpur district, 14 out of 16 NH projects are reportedly facing substantial delays due to administrative challenges and external factors. 
4. Why Are So Many Projects Delayed? The Land Acquisition Problem
A common thread running through nearly all of Punjab’s highway delays is land acquisition — that is, the government’s difficulty in legally taking over private land to build public roads. This is a deeply complex issue in Punjab.
The Ministry stated that “projects in the state of Punjab are mainly delayed/stalled/terminated due to the issues relating to land acquisition and delay in obtaining statutory clearances,” but assured that efforts, in coordination with the Punjab government, are underway to resolve obstacles and restart stalled works. 
Other delays are coming from bureaucratic processes. Works like the Makhu–Arifke NH-703A section and the NH-354 upgrade from Arifke to Ferozepur–Muktsar–Malout have been delayed by both land acquisition problems and no-objection certificate delays from the irrigation department.  A “no-objection certificate” (NOC) is simply a formal written permission needed from government departments before construction can begin near canals, rivers, or irrigation infrastructure and Punjab, being an agricultural state criss-crossed with canals, has many such requirements.
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari had highlighted the lack of cooperation from the Punjab Government, warning that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) could terminate ongoing projects if issues persist.  This reflects a real tension between the central government body (NHAI) that funds and oversees national highways, and the state government that must handle land acquisition on the ground.
5. Projects Moving Forward — Tenders, Awards, and Upcoming Highways
Despite the delays, not everything is standing still. Several projects are actively moving through the pipeline.
Nine highway projects, including the 19-km Zirakpur Bypass, are currently at the tender stage, while four projects have already been issued a Letter of Award (LOA).  A Letter of Award means the contract has been formally given to a contractor, and construction can begin once the land is ready.
The Zirakpur Bypass in particular will be welcomed by anyone who has sat in the notorious traffic jams near Chandigarh. Zirakpur is a bottleneck town just outside the city where three highways converge, causing daily gridlock. A bypass will allow traffic heading toward Patiala, Ambala, or Shimla to skip the town entirely.
6. The Amritsar–Jamnagar Expressway — A Game Changer for Punjab’s Economy
One of the most exciting completed additions to Punjab’s road network is the Amritsar–Jamnagar Economic Corridor. The expressway runs from Tibba in Kapurthala district, Punjab, down to Jamnagar in Gujarat, passing through Haryana and Rajasthan, with the full route spanning 1,256.95 km and reaching full completion in December 2025. 
For Punjab, this corridor connects major cities including Amritsar, Goindwal Sahib, Sultanpur Lodhi, Moga, and Bathinda — and links the state directly to India’s western coast. This is huge for Punjab’s agricultural economy, as goods like grain, cotton, and processed food can now move faster and more cheaply to ports and markets in Gujarat.
7. Rural Roads — The Backbone of Punjab’s Connectivity
While the expressways grab the headlines, it is the rural roads that affect the most people day-to-day. Farmers, school children, and small business owners in villages depend on local link roads to get to markets, hospitals, and towns.
The Punjab government has already undertaken construction of 19,373 km of rural link roads at a total cost of Rs 4,092 crore  as part of its ongoing rural connectivity drive, even before the new Rs 16,209 crore mega-project gets fully underway.
The next phase of Punjab’s highway development strategy also focuses on expanding connectivity to rural and underserved regions. The government plans to construct additional bypass roads and greenfield expressways, reducing congestion in densely populated urban centers. 
Plans are also in place to implement intelligent transportation systems (ITS) that use real-time traffic data to manage congestion more effectively. Additionally, eco-friendly construction techniques, such as the use of recycled materials and solar-powered street lighting, are being considered to promote sustainable infrastructure development. 
8. The Broader Impact — Why This All Matters
Roads are not just about getting from point A to point B faster. They are fundamentally about economic opportunity and quality of life.
Improved road infrastructure will boost trade and commerce by facilitating faster and more reliable transportation of goods. This is particularly important for Punjab’s agricultural sector, as farmers will have better access to markets across the country. 
For the Punjabi diaspora, many of whom have family in villages across districts like Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, and Nawanshahr, better roads mean safer and faster journeys back home, and better economic prospects for the relatives they leave behind.
The completion of the Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway will also be deeply meaningful for religious travellers. Pilgrims visiting the Golden Temple in Amritsar or the Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra will benefit from significantly reduced travel times compared to the current national highway route.
What to Watch in the Coming Months
Here is a quick summary of the key milestones to watch as 2026 progresses:
• November 2026 — Target completion date for the Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway (Spur III and other key packages)
• Ongoing — Tendering and commencement of work under the Rs 16,209 crore, 44,920 km road project
• Ongoing — Resolution of land acquisition disputes blocking stalled NHAI projects
• Ongoing — Construction progress on the Zirakpur Bypass and other newly awarded contracts
• Hoshiarpur District — Whether administrative challenges blocking 14 of 16 NH projects can be resolved
Final Thoughts
Punjab’s road infrastructure story in 2026 is a tale of two realities. On one hand, there is genuine and unprecedented ambition — the state government’s Rs 16,209 crore project is the largest road-building drive in Punjab’s history, and when completed, it will transform everyday life for millions of people. On the other hand, the national highway network is struggling with delays rooted in land acquisition disputes, bureaucratic bottlenecks, and coordination gaps between the central and state governments.
The road ahead, quite literally, will depend on whether these obstacles can be resolved. For a state as agriculturally and culturally vital as Punjab, getting the roads right is not just a construction matter. It is an economic lifeline.