Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has requested the Centre to prepare a traffic management scheme on NH-25 for smooth transport of products and by-products of a refinery-cum-petrochemical complex being established at Pachpadra in Barmer.
In a letter to Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Gehlot said a goods transport gallery could be set up in nearby areas of the refinery project and the whole Jodhpur-Barmer section of NH-25 should be widened to six lanes.
He also requested that service lane provision should be included in the scheme to provide facilities such as parking, rest house, restaurant, service station and fuel station for the travellers and vehicle drivers.
The chief minister added that the construction of the refinery project is in full swing and expected to be completed by October 2022.
At the project, production of 5 million metric tonne per annum (MMTPA) petroleum products and 4 MMTPA of petro-chemical products is expected.
Out of the total, 2 MMTPA products will be transported by road. It is also planned to set up a petrochemical-based industrial hub, he said.
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Gehlot pointed out that the movement of heavy vehicles will increase during the construction of the refinery-cum-petrochemical complex.
Besides, he added, public and private transport will also increase at a fast pace.
It is expected that around one thousand truck and oil tankers could pass through petrochemical complex area per day.
Currently, this section of NH-25 is of two and four lanes and has no divider.
The chief minister said keeping in view all these facts and future requirements of the traffic management in the petrochemical complex area, the Union road transport ministry should prepare a wide scheme and give orders for its implementation besides widening of NH-25 to six lanes, according to a release.