CM Bhajan Lal Sharma Welcomes Rs 2,386 Cr NH Upgrade for North Rajasthan
Synopsis
The Centre has sanctioned ₹2,386.08 crore to four-lane NH-954 and NH-54 in northern Rajasthan, linking Sri Ganganagar to Hanumangarh. CM Bhajan Lal Sharma credited PM Modi and Nitin Gadkari, citing traffic relief at Lalgarh Jattan and Pakka Sahrana and improved access to Bhatner Fort and the Kalibanga Museum.
Key Takeaways
₹2,386.08 crore sanctioned by the Centre for four-laning two national highway stretches in northern Rajasthan.
The project covers NH-954 (Sadhuwali–Banwala) and NH-54 (Banwala–Hanumangarh) , improving the Sri Ganganagar–Hanumangarh corridor.
Traffic congestion at Lalgarh Jattan and Pakka Sahrana is expected to ease significantly post-upgrade.
The highway will improve tourist access to Bhatner Fort and the Kalibanga Museum , both major heritage destinations.
The sanction falls under the Bharatmala Pariyojana framework, which targets over 34,000 km of national highway upgrades nationwide.
CM Bhajan Lal Sharma publicly thanked PM Narendra Modi and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for the approval on 13 August 2026 .
Two national highway stretches cutting through northern Rajasthan's border heartland are set for a major upgrade — and the price tag tells the story: ₹2,386.08 crore sanctioned by the Centre to four-lane NH-954 (Sadhuwali–Banwala) and NH-54 (Banwala–Hanumangarh). Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Thursday, 13 August 2026 publicly thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari for the approval, calling it a step toward making travel in the state smoother and safer.
What the Sanction Covers — and Why These Two Stretches
The project links Sadhuwali in Sri Ganganagar district all the way through Banwala to Hanumangarh, stitching together a key north-south corridor in a region that sits close to India's international border with Pakistan. CM Sharma specifically flagged two pinch-points — Lalgarh Jattan and Pakka Sahrana — where traffic congestion has long been a daily grind for commuters and freight carriers alike. Four-laning these stretches is designed to break those bottlenecks.
Beyond daily commuter relief, the upgraded highway will sharpen access to two of the region's most significant cultural landmarks: Bhatner Fort in Hanumangarh — one of Rajasthan's oldest surviving fortifications — and the Kalibanga Museum, which houses artefacts from one of the major sites of the Indus Valley Civilisation. Better road access to heritage sites has a direct multiplier effect on local tourism revenue.
Bharatmala's Long Arm Reaches the Desert Belt
This sanction sits squarely within the logic of Bharatmala Pariyojana, the Centre's flagship highway development programme launched in 2015 targeting over 34,000 km of national highway upgrades. Rajasthan's border and desert districts have been recurring beneficiaries under this framework, with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways having sanctioned multiple phases of NH-54 and NH-954 work between 2016 and 2022. The latest package extends that arc further north.
The pattern is consistent: four-laning in this belt serves a dual mandate — civilian safety and freight movement on one hand, and strategic connectivity in a border state on the other. Tendering, land acquisition timelines, and a scheduled completion date for these two stretches are the next milestones to watch.
Sharma's Political Signal in the Thank-You
The CM's public acknowledgement of both Modi and Gadkari by name is more than courtesy. It plants the BJP's flag on a tangible infrastructure win in a region that votes — and watches road quality closely. For a government that came to power in Rajasthan in December 2023, converting central sanctions into visible ground-level projects is exactly the kind of governance narrative it needs to build.
If execution matches the sanction, northern Rajasthan gets faster roads, lighter traffic, and a tourism corridor that finally matches the heritage it is sitting on. That is the bet the Centre and the state are making together.
Point of View
Particularly on land acquisition in a corridor spanning multiple districts, will determine whether this sanction becomes a campaign asset or a cautionary tale by the next election cycle.
NationPress
13 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NH-954 and NH-54 four-laning project in Rajasthan?
The project involves upgrading NH-954 (Sadhuwali–Banwala) and NH-54 (Banwala–Hanumangarh) from two lanes to four lanes at a total cost of ₹2,386.08 crore , improving road connectivity across northern Rajasthan.
How much money has been sanctioned for the Hanumangarh highway upgrade?
The Centre has sanctioned ₹2,386.08 crore for the four-laning of the two national highway stretches connecting Sri Ganganagar to Hanumangarh .
Which areas will benefit from the NH-54 and NH-954 upgrade in Rajasthan?
Commuters between Sri Ganganagar and Hanumangarh will benefit directly. Traffic pressure at Lalgarh Jattan and Pakka Sahrana will ease, and access to Bhatner Fort and the Kalibanga Museum will improve for tourists.
What is Bharatmala Pariyojana and how is it connected to this project?
Bharatmala Pariyojana is the Central government's flagship highway development scheme launched in 2015 , targeting over 34,000 km of national highway upgrades. The NH-954 and NH-54 project in Rajasthan falls under this framework.
What is the significance of Bhatner Fort and Kalibanga Museum mentioned in the highway project?
Bhatner Fort in Hanumangarh is one of Rajasthan's oldest surviving fortifications, while the Kalibanga Museum houses artefacts from an Indus Valley Civilisation excavation site. The upgraded highway is expected to boost tourist access to both destinations.
