Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday laid the foundation stones 408-km roads in Jharkhand, which entail an expenditure of Rs.6,455 crore.
These include four-lane Mahulia-Bharagora road, Chas-Ramgarh road, four-lane Barhi-Hazaribagh road and six-lane Barwadda-Chordaha road.
Speaking after laying the foundation stone of three roads in Dhanbad, Gadkari said that the total length of national highways in the state will increase to 5,300 km from 2,600 km at present once new projects are completed.
The minister for road transport and highways that work on a bridge over the Ganga river in Sahebganj district costing Rs.2,000 crore will soon begin.
He said Sahebganj would be developed as a smart city if the state government provided land for the project.
The minister asked the state government to prepare a detailed projects report on roads and assured of all support from the Centre.