Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated seven national highway projects in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday. These projects aim to improve the connectivity of remote areas with the mainstream and facilitate seamless movement of goods and passengers.
The seven projects are worth approximately Rs. 5,894 crore and span a total length of 570 km. They include the four-laning of the 49-km-long Dewas-Bhopal section of NH-3, which will reduce the travel time between Dewas and Bhopal by almost half.
The Minister also laid the foundation stone for the construction of an elevated road and a flyover in Indore city. The elevated road will be built on the existing MR-10 road and will connect the city’s Ring Road with the Bypass Road. The flyover, on the other hand, will be built at a cost of Rs. 162 crore and will be a part of the BRTS corridor.
During the inauguration, Gadkari emphasized the importance of infrastructure development in spurring economic growth and creating employment opportunities. He also highlighted the Centre’s commitment to developing world-class infrastructure in the country.
Gadkari stated that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is currently constructing national highways worth over Rs. 2 lakh crore across the country. He also mentioned that the government is focused on developing smart cities and urban infrastructure, and has allocated Rs. 1.05 lakh crore for the same.
The Minister further added that the government is committed to promoting the use of alternative fuels and has taken several measures towards achieving this goal. He cited the construction of 10,000 bio-CNG plants, the production of ethanol from sugarcane, and the promotion of electric vehicles as some of the initiatives taken by the government.
Gadkari also praised Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for his support in the development of infrastructure in the state. He expressed his gratitude towards the Chief Minister for providing land for the construction of the elevated road and flyover in Indore city.