Amritsar, Oct 19 (IANS): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday envisioned that Delhi-Katra expressway will be a harbinger of a new era of development and prosperity in the state.

The Chief Minister, accompanying Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to review the work of this project, said the work on the project would be completed soon. He said the state government has extended support and cooperation to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the timely completion of the project.

Mann said the project would give major fillip to the economic activity in the region, besides opening new vistas of employment for the youth.

The Chief Minister expressed hope the project would give much needed boost to the trade and commerce in the state, thereby emerging Punjab as the frontrunner state in the country.

He said with the intervention of the Union Minister the work on this project would be further expedited, giving impetus to the economy of the state.

Mann said the highway would facilitate the pilgrims going to pay obeisance at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine apart from giving boost to economic activity in the region.

Mann said the 254-km long highway would be constructed at a cost Rs 11,510 crore and will pass through nine districts of the state -- Jalandhar, Sangrur, Malerkotla, Patiala, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur.