Punjab CM Mann says Dhuri ROB work to begin soon; Bittu slams CM for taking ‘fake credit'
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday announced that the work on railway overbridge (RoB) in his constituency Dhuri, Sangrur district, would begin soon.
Reacting to this, Union Minister of State for Railways and BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu slammed Mann for 'taking fake credit' as the 'the Railways, which has to grant an approval for the RoB adjoining Dhuri LC 62A railway crossing, will do it soon — without efforts from Mann or the ruling AAP government'. 'The Mann-led AAP government in Punjab has not sanctioned a single rupee for the work,' Bittu said.
Asserting that 'necessary clearance' was granted for the work by the Ministry of Railways after 'persistent efforts by the state government', Mann said in a statement: 'The state-of-the-art RoB, which will be constructed at the level crossing (phatak) no. 62A, will play a crucial role in resolving traffic congestion in the Malwa region, particularly for commuters in the Dhuri segment. The total cost of the project is Rs 54.76 crore, which will be funded entirely by the state government.'
He also said that 'once initiated, the project will be completed within 18 months. Groundwork began in 2024, but the progress has been delayed due to the pending final railway permission/ NOC since March 2025… The state government pursued the matter diligently, and with required approvals from the Railways, the project work will commence shortly.'
Terming Mann's remarks 'misleading', Bittu said: 'In the past three years, Mann has not provided a single rupee to the Railways for cost-sharing overbridge projects across the state. If he had even sent Rs 54.76 lakh, he would have held a press conference. This Rs 54.76-crore claim is pure optics. Can the CM tell in which head this amount is lying, and why it has not been disbursed till today.'
Bittu further alleged: 'A few residents met me very recently, and after listening to their grievances, I took up the issue at the highest level immediately. Despite being the MLA from Dhuri, the CM has done nothing to address this long-pending demand… Now that the Railways has taken the initiative, Mann is shamelessly trying to take credit.'
Slamming Mann for his alleged neglect towards Dhuri, Bittu said while the previous chief ministers made significant efforts to develop their home constituencies, Mann failed to do so. 'He has not held even a single public interaction in Dhuri after becoming the CM… The bus stand is in poor condition, and the local hospital lacks basic infrastructure too.'
'I had received multiple representations from local BJP leaders and citizen groups, urging immediate action on the overbridge as the 62A railway crossing remains closed for hours, effectively cutting the town into two and causing daily chaos for commuters,' Bittu said, adding residents often have to wait three to four hours to cross the railway tracks.
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