Central road projects worth over Rs 6,000 crore for state

SHILLONG, Oct 4: In a welcome development for landlocked Meghalaya, Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari has announced that several road projects will be taken up in the state worth over Rs 6,000 crore and the construction work for most of those projects will start as early as December this year.
In a visual message, Gadkari said that the Ministry has recently received the detailed project report for the proposed Shillong-Western Bypass and the Ministry will soon sanction the work for the Rs 900-crore project.
Another significant project will be the upgradation of the two-lane highway from Dudhnoi to Dalu via Baghmara into four lanes for which Rs 2100 crore will be sanctioned.
The 90-km four-lane road project from Paikan to Tura will also be taken up in December this year at a cost of Rs 2300 crore. Another project to be taken up in December is the 54-km road from Tura to Nidnapur (Selsella) at a cost of Rs 700 crore.
Gadkari further said that the Ministry was awaiting submission of the DPR for the 50-km Jowai-Amlarem-Dawki road project and sanction will be given once details are submitted.
Revealing that he has issued the orders for release of central road funds worth Rs 25 crore to Meghalaya, Gadkari said that the Ministry is also examining the proposal for construction of the Jowai Bypass along with a bridge at a cost of Rs 100 crore.
Assuring his Ministry’s full cooperation in developing the road infrastructure in Meghalaya, the Union Minister made it clear that the Centre was keen to develop road, railway and aviation infrastructure in the hill state.