New Delhi, September 30
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday approved Rs 11 thousand crore to enhance road connectivity in Chhattisgarh.
"In a significant move to enhance road connectivity in Chhattisgarh, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has approved Rs 11 thousand crore for the state. This funding will support the development of four major national highways, set to transform the state's transport landscape and promote industrial growth," as per an official press release.
Gadkari made this announcement during a review meeting with Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai in New Delhi.
In the meeting held in New Delhi at Bharat Mandapam, the progress of the ongoing National Highway projects in Chhattisgarh was discussed. Union Ministers of State for Road Transport Ajay Tamta and Harsh Malhotra and Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao were also present during the meeting, as per the release.
"During the meeting, Gadkari emphasized the need to address obstacles related to project delays, directing the Forest Department to expedite clearances and resolve any pending issues. He urged for the timely completion of all ongoing and proposed projects. The progress of national highways was discussed in the meeting, along with this, approval was given to prepare Detailed Project Report (DPR) for four major highways," as per the release.
The four main projects discussed in the meeting include Urga-Katghora bypass (NH-149B), Basna to Sarangarh (Manikpur) feeder route, Sarangarh to Raigarh feeder route, and Raipur-Lakhanadon economic corridor. The total length of these projects is 236.1 km. For which the union minister has approved a total of Rs 9208 crore.
"At the same time, eight works worth Rs 908 crore have been approved under the Central Road Fund. In the meeting, four-lane widening work of Keshkal Ghat and Dhamtari-Jagdalpur road was also approved," as per the release.
Instructions were given to complete the Raipur-Visakhapatnam road and Bilaspur-Urga-Pathalgaon road under NHAI within the time limit. At the same time, the Pathalgaon to Kunkuri-Jharkhand Border road was directed to determine the agency within a month.
"In the meeting, consent was given to construct a grade separator between Tatibandh and Telibandha in Raipur city and a grade separator on the road connecting Vidhansabha Road to Bilaspur Road (Dhaneli) and Raipur Expressway," as per the release.
Apart from this, an additional amount of Rs 1200 crore has been approved for the development of roads.
Chief Minister's Secretary P Dayanand, Public Works Department Secretary Dr Kamalpreet Singh, Forest Department Secretary Amarnath Prasad and other officials of the Public Works Department, Revenue, Mining and Forest departments of the state were also present in the meeting, the release stated.
Expressing gratitude, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai remarked, "This is a significant gift for the development of Chhattisgarh, which will provide new direction to our industrial and business activities."
He highlighted the expected improvements in rural connectivity and the positive impact on local communities.
"Sai committed to regular reviews of project progress and pledged to monitor developments closely, ensuring that all initiatives are completed on schedule to enhance basic facilities for the citizens of Chhattisgarh," as per the release.