The Centre has sanctioned Rs 1,90,000 crore for road projects spanning over 14,000 km in the northeast, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday and iterated that infrastructure development in the region has always been a priority of the NDA government at the Centre.
Gadkari, who arrived in Shillong on Monday on a two-day visit, reviewed all national highway projects in the eight northeastern states.
"Our government accords highest priority to infrastructure development in the northeast. We seek cooperation of state governments for land acquisition, forest clearances and encroachment solutions," the Union minister for road transport and highways told reporters here.
A total of Rs 1,66,026 crore has been sanctioned for construction of over 10,000 km of roads in eight states under National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited. Additionally, Rs 7,000 crore has been approved for 850-km stretch under National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), he said.
"The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has also sanctioned Rs 17,257 crore for respective Public Works Department for the construction of 2,421 km of roads in the states," Gadkari explained.
The Union minister clarified that the NHAI would withdraw its services from the northeast once the pending projects are over.
"Currently, the NHAI has been entrusted with the job of 850-km-long road in the region for Rs 7,000 crore. In Assam alone, the NHAI has four projects, spanning 96 km," he said, adding, "In Meghalaya, the NHAI is scheduled to complete 62-km-long road project for Rs 536 crore by October."
"As the NHIDCL (National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited) has been constituted exclusively for infrastructure development of the region, the services of NHAI will be withdrawn from northeast after the completion of the pending projects. The NHAI will need to attend to road projects in other parts of the country," he said.
Gadkari directed the additional director general of NHIDCL to hold review meetings with respective state governments every three to four months to remove bottlenecks, if any.
In all, work was underway on 2,520-km stretch in the region at a cost of Rs 36,839 crore under NHIDCL while the remaining 8,372 km will be taken up after adequate preparations, Gadkari said.
In Assam, the NHIDCL was entrusted with the job of constructing 3,140 km road at a cost of Rs 55,533 crore.
"Work is in progress on 397 km for Rs 8,976 crore in Assam. The detailed project report (DPR) preparation for another 2,743 km road at a cost of Rs 46,557 crore is underway," the Union minister said.
In Manipur, Rs 27,289 crore has been sanctioned for road project spanning 2,374 km.
"Civil work was currently in progress on 440-km stretch for Rs 1,428 crore. The remaining Rs 25,862 crore will be utilised for another 1934 km," the Union minister said.
For Meghalaya, the NHIDCL has sanctioned 1,295-km road at a cost of 18,869 crore.
Around 52-km road has already been taken up under NHIDCL for Rs 520 crore. The detailed project report for the remaining 1,243 km were underway, Gadkari said.
In Arunachal Pradesh, Rs 15,821 crore has been approved by the ministry for 1150-km stretch, while, in Mizoram, the Centre has sanctioned Rs 13,302 crore for building 845-km road. For Tripura, Gadkari said, the Centre has sanctioned Rs 6,219 crore for construction of 522 km of road.
In Nagaland, 751-km road has been approved which would cost Rs 12,788 crore and another 815-km stretch has been sanctioned in Sikkim-West Bengal under NHIDCL at a cost of Rs 16,205 crore, the minister said.
"I would request the state governments to conduct reviews periodically for the smooth progress of the projects," Gadkari said.
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