Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Friday announced four road and transportation projects, for which the ministry has sanctioned a total of Rs 1885.51 crore.
Gadkari made the announcement in a series of separate posts on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). These projects are located in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Assam. They include road upgradation and the development of an existing ropeway, among others.
Karnataka
Gadkari said that an allocation of Rs 576.22 crore has been sanctioned for the four-laning of the Yedegowdanahalli to Arjunahalli segment of National Highway-373 in Hassan district in Karnataka. The 22.3 kilometres long segment is part of the key corridor, which serves as a vital link to renowned tourist destinations such as Chikamagaluru, Belur, Halebeedu, and Shravanabelagola, the minister said.
Madhya Pradesh
Additionally, he sanctioned Rs 188.95 crore for the development, operation and maintenance of existing ropeway between Ujjain Junction Railway Station and Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain district of Madhya Pradesh. The proposed ropeway is expected to streamline transportation in the region, especially during the peak pilgrimage season.
Gadkari said it would reduce travel time to 7 minutes and would facilitate 64,000 pilgrims every day.
Gujarat
An amount of Rs 699.19 crore has also been sanctioned for upgrading the Khokhra Gujarat Border – Vijayanagar – Antarsuba – Mathasur Road section of National Highway 58 in Palanpur, Gujarat. The amount has been sanctioned under the Hybrid Annuity model.
Gadkari emphasised on the importance of the route as the National Highway-58 connects Gujarat and Rajasthan and also connects Ambaji Temple, Udaipur, Polo Forest and other archaeological monuments and various tourist places, he said.
Assam
For Assam, the ministry sanctioned Rs 421.15 crore for the construction of a four-lane Gauripur Bypass along NH-17 (New)/NH-31(Old) in Dhubri district, Assam. The bypass will span over a total length of 9.61 kilometres and aims to alleviate the congestion in Gauripur town and mitigate risks associated with sharp bends on the current highway, thereby enhancing safety, according to an official press release issued by the ministry.