The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved four-laning of the Sangrur-Punjab/Haryana border section of National Highway-71 in Punjab under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) Phase IV on Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT-Annuity) in Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) pattern.    The cost is estimated to be Rs 612.28 crore including the cost of land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation and other pre-construction activities.    The total length of the road will be approximately 57 km with paved shoulders. The project will expedite improvement of infrastructure in Punjab and also reduce the time and cost of travel for traffic, particularly heavy traffic, plying between Sangrur-Punjab/Haryana border section of National Highway-71.    The project is covered in Sangrur and Patiala Districts of Punjab. The main townships on the project Highway are Sangrur, Patran and Khanauri. Development of this stretch will also help in uplifting the socio-economic condition of this region. It will also increase employment potential for local labourers for project activities.