Chandigarh, Nov. 30 -- Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said the Punjab government will construct 44,920 km of road stretches in the state with an outlay of Rs 16,209 crore. Addressing mediapersons here, Mann claimed this would be the biggest ever road project undertaken by the state, adding that tenders will be issued in this regard. The project includes construction of 2,829-km public works department (PWD) roads and 18,545 km of rural link roads, at a total cost of Rs 7,727 crore. Additionally, 22,291-km road stretches under the Punjab Mandi Board, and 1,255 km of urban roads under various civic bodies will be constructed at a cost of Rs 7,697 crore and Rs 785 crore, respectively, he said. A total sum of Rs 16,209 crore will be spent on constructing quality roads across the state, Mann said, adding that he has directed contractors not to compromise on the quality of materials and work. Asked whether the Punjab government has received the state's rural development fund from the Centre, Mann said it had not been released. The Punjab government is funding the road projects on its own, he said. Asked about the Rs 1,600-crore flood-relief amount for the state, Mann alleged that the Centre had "not released a single penny" out of it. He alleged that the BJP leaders who claim that funds have been given to the state should know that these are funds from central schemes that Punjab would have received anyway even if no floods had occurred. However, the chief minister said that these funds are not from any special package that the BJP leaders are boasting that the Union government has issued. He said that these roads would all be with the five years maintenance clause ensuring highest quality standards along with the world-class road safety features. The move is aimed at providing better mobility and boosting rural infrastructure in the state, he added. Responding to Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini's allegation that his condolence visit to the home of deceased basketball player Hardik Rathi was political, Mann said that he is a sports lover and had gone there to share family's grief. He stated that visiting a player's home to express sorrow cannot be called politics rather it is an act of solidarity with the bereaved family. "The Haryana government is making such baseless allegations to hide its own failures, as the sports infrastructure in Haryana has collapsed badly," Mann said. Mann asserted that sports infrastructure across the country needs improvement, also noting that India is set to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. He said that rather than lip service on the issue, the Haryana government must accept responsibility for this situation. Meanwhile, replying to a query, the chief minister said that the chief minister's flying squad is continuously monitoring the quality of roads, and after receiving several complaints about the use of substandard material, contracts of some contractors have been cancelled....