The proposed four-laning of the Kiratpur Sahib-Nangal stretch of NH-503 has run into another roadblock, with the high project cost emerging as a bottleneck.Sources said the detailed project report (DPR) prepared for the approximately 30-km four-laning project had pegged its cost around Rs 2,700 crore, nearly double the Rs 1,200 crore sanctioned by the Union Government. The sanctioned amount includes Rs 400 crore for land acquisition. The ministry has subsequently asked the Punjab authorities to bring down the estimated cost within the sanctioned budget.Education and Local Bodies Minister Harjot Singh Bains, who has been pursuing the project with the Union Ministry, said the higher cost was primarily the result of errors in the estimates prepared by the project consultants.“The excess cost was the result of miscalculations on the part of the project consultants. The errors have been corrected and a revised project is being submitted to the Union Ministry. The cost of the revised project will remain within the sanctioned budget,” Bains said.Bains said he was actively pursuing the four-laning project with the Union Ministry and expressed hope that the land acquisition process would begin soon.Sources said the Union Ministry has slowed down several road projects in Punjab amid difficulties in acquiring land for highway projects.The ministry has reportedly laid down a condition that tenders for the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) road projects in Punjab would be floated only after 90 per cent of the required land had been acquired. Several highway projects in Punjab have been affected by resistance from farmers to land acquisition, further delaying the execution of road works.The Kiratpur Sahib-Nangal project is considered important because NH-503 is a major route connecting Punjab with Himachal Pradesh. The existing road is in poor condition, particularly on the Nangal-Ganguwal stretch.The road remains largely two-lane between Nangal and Ganguwal and is dotted with large potholes at several places. The narrow road and poor surface have become a major safety concern, as the highway carries substantial traffic travelling to and from lower Himachal Pradesh.Sources said around 27 people have lost their lives in accidents on the Nangal-Ganguwal stretch over the past two years.NH-503 is also a vital link for pilgrims and tourists travelling towards Anandpur Sahib and the Naina Devi shrine in Himachal Pradesh. The proposed four-laning is therefore expected to improve road safety, reduce congestion and provide better connectivity between Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.The project has faced several administrative hurdles in the past as well. Sources said missing revenue records relating to 14 villages had earlier emerged as a bottleneck in the land acquisition process. The issue, however, has now largely been resolved, with revenue officials transferring disputed portions of land in the name of the national highway, according to sources.Project consultant Ajay Kundu declined to comment on the reasons for the delay in the four-laning project.For residents and commuters using the Nangal-Ganguwal route, however, the priority remains an early start to the project, as deteriorating road conditions and heavy traffic continue to pose a serious accident risk.