Bad highways may cease to be a reality in a few years from now. The Golden Quadilateral Project, which would connect Delhi-Calcutta-Chennai-Bombay-Delhi is under way.
National Highway 2 from Barakar to Calcutta and National Highway 6 from Calcutta to Kharagpur is already being converted into 4 lanes and in places where possible it would be developed to a six lane thoroughfare.
A North-South corridor of 300 kilometres from Dalkhola in the south to Basirhat in the North would be developed. Plans are also in place to develop National Highway 35 to 37 and connect it to the Calcutta port.
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The National Highway 35 and 36 would be brought from Barasat to the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass to Garia and then through Joka, Diamond Harbour Road would be connected to the Calcutta port.
A diagonal expressway from Calcutta to Uluberia is also being developed on the National Highway 6.
National Highway 34 would be developed to Raniganj and beyond to meet the East-West corridor. The entire development project is estimated to cost Rs 2,500 crore in the state of West Bengal.
The National Highway Association of India (NHAI) is responsible for funding the project. There would also be private funding and sale of equity involved. A 15 per cent cess on petrol and 30 per cent cess on diesel will be used to fund the development of these highways.