In a connectivity boost to Tricity, PM Modi to launch three highway projects on July 17

3 min readJul 15, 2026 09:14 AM IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses during a gala lunch hosted by New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon (unseen), in Auckland (Photo/ANI)

In a bid to reduce congestion and strengthen connectivity across Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula, as well as neighbouring regions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for three major National Highway projects on July 17.

The projects, involving a total investment of Rs 5,278 crore, include the inauguration of the 31.23-km Zirakpur–Kurali six-lane Greenfield Highway, the laying of the foundation stone for the 10.30-km Chandigarh Airport–Aerocity Greenfield Highway, and the 19.20-km Zirakpur Bypass.

One of the biggest gains for Chandigarh is expected to be the diversion of traffic that currently passes through the city to reach destinations in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir.

By separating local traffic from transit traffic, the projects are expected to reduce bottlenecks on roads connecting Chandigarh with Mohali and Panchkula, shorten travel time for city commuters, improve road safety and lower fuel consumption caused by long traffic jams. The highways are also expected to make freight movement more efficient while allowing Chandigarh’s road network to primarily serve local traffic rather than vehicles merely passing through the Tricity.

Thousands of commercial vehicles and long-distance travellers presently enter the Tricity because of missing highway links, adding to congestion on key arterial roads such as Madhya Marg, Dakshin Marg, the Chandigarh-Zirakpur stretch and roads leading towards Mohali and Panchkula.

“The new greenfield corridors and bypass are expected to provide a direct alternative, allowing vehicles with no destination in the city to skirt the Tricity altogether, further decongesting the city,” a senior official from the UT administration said.

The proposed Zirakpur Bypass and the Chandigarh Airport-Aerocity Greenfield Highway, in particular, are also expected to decongest major entry and exit points around Chandigarh by separating local traffic from long-distance highway traffic.

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The new highway network will also strengthen connectivity between Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.

Officials said the improved infrastructure is expected to boost logistics, tourism, economic activity and regional investment by providing better access to the Tricity and surrounding areas.

The event in Chandigarh will be attended by Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, besides local MPs and MLAs.

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Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. She is one of the most prominent journalists covering the Chandigarh Administration, civic issues, and the unique political status of the Union Territory.

Professional Background

Experience: She has been in the field for over a decade and is known for her investigative reporting on administrative waste and urban governance.

Awards: She is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, which was presented to her by the President of India in January 2020. She was also awarded the Jethmalani prize (The Will of Steel Awards) in 2025 in the Empowerment category for a series of articles that highlighted the struggles of Covid widows.

Core Beat: Her primary focus is the Chandigarh administrative structure, the Union Territory's financial management, and urban development projects.

Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)

Her recent work highlights a focus on government accountability, administrative expenditures, and civic trends:

1. Investigative & Financial Reporting

"Fuelling power: Senior UT IAS officers guzzled petrol worth Rs 30 lakh in 2 yrs" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative report detailing the high fuel bills of top bureaucrats, including the Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary’s staff.

"Admn spends Rs 1.5 crore on dismantling road railings and fixing again after increasing height" (Dec 8, 2025): Highlighting administrative waste on "non-viable" solutions for pedestrian control.

"Chandigarh’s finances under ministry’s watch now" (Nov 27, 2025): Reporting on the new requirement for MHA approval for all new projects in the UT.

2. Governance & Constitutional Status

"What will it mean for Chandigarh if it is brought under Article 240?" (Nov 24, 2025): An "Explained" piece on the potential constitutional shift that would grant the President more power over the UT's governance.

"MP Manish Tewari moves Bill seeking directly elected Mayor with 5-year tenure" (Dec 6, 2025): Covering the legislative push to reform Chandigarh's municipal leadership structure.

"No proposal to increase Mayor's term in Chandigarh by 5 years: Centre" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on the Union government's response to demands for a longer mayoral term.

3. Urban Infrastructure & Environment

"Chandigarh admn cuts power to India's tallest air purifier, asks firm to dismantle it" (Nov 17, 2025): A critical report on the failure of a high-cost environmental project deemed "of no use" by experts.

"UT rethinks 24/7 water supply project as costs soar" (Nov 26, 2025): Detailing the financial challenges and delays in modernizing the city's water network.

"Centre 'obfuscating, covering up' MC's shifting deadlines for clearing Dadu Majra dump" (Dec 12, 2025): Reporting on the ongoing controversy surrounding the city's major waste dump.

4. Lifestyle & Local Trends

"Chandigarh turns into a Thar city as women fuel the surge" (Dec 2, 2025): A feature on a unique automotive trend in the city, with a record 600 registrations by women drivers this year.

"After fivefold spike in 2023, EV sales struggle to pick pace in Chandigarh" (Dec 2, 2025): Analyzing the slowdown in electric vehicle adoption despite previous surges.

Signature Beat

Hina is known for her meticulous tracking of RTI (Right to Information) data to expose administrative inefficiency. Her "Ground Zero" reporting on the Dadu Majra garbage dump and her scrutiny of the Chandigarh Smart City projects have made her a key figure in the city’s civil society discourse.

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