Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 31 projects in Jharkhand worth Rs 13,296 crore, a move expected to drive commercial development in the state and neighbouring West Bengal and Odisha. While in Jharkhand, the former Bharatiya Janata Party president will also address a campaign rally in Ranchi.
The minister was received in Jamshedpur by former Chief Minister Raghubar Das and BJP workers where he inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 10 National Highway projects of 220 km worth Rs 3,843 crore. He was joined on stage by Lok Sabha members Bidyut Baran Mahato and Geeta kora.
The minister laid the foundation stone for the construction of a 4-lane double-decker elevated corridor on NH 33, connecting Kali Mandir to Baliguma, estimated to cost Rs 1,876 crore.
This will reduce the journey duration from 45 minutes to five minutes, Gadkari said on Thursday.
"Ranchi to Jamshedpur Inter Corridor will improve connectivity to West Bengal-Odisha. This corridor will bypass Ranchi city and connect Delhi-Kolkata Highway (NH-2) and East-West Corridor (NH-6), providing Jamshedpur-Kolkata direct connectivity," Gadkari tweeted after the event.
Gadkari dedicated a 44-km stretch between Jamshedpur and Mahulta on National Highway-33, constructed at a cost of Rs 465 crore. This stretch will provide Delhi-Kolkata and Mumbai-Kolkata connectivity via Jamshedpur, significantly reducing travel time, according to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Chief General Manager SK Mishra.
Gadkari laid out Rs 9,400 crore for another 21 NH projects which he will inaugurate in Jharkhand's Ranchi later today.
Another major project is the construction of a four-lane access control road on the Raipur-Dhanbad Economic Corridor of NH-320 as part of a Bharatmala package. According to the senior NHAI official, this will connect Raipur to Dhanbad commercially, and drastically reduce travel time between Ranchi to Bokaro, leading to the social and industrial development of both states.
"This route from Hatgamaria to Bokna Hathichowk (NH-320G) in West Singhbhum district will provide better connectivity to Naxal-affected areas and aspirational districts with the construction of Kolavira road," Gadkari tweeted.
Gadkari also inaugurated a six-lane underpass at Ramgarh constructed at Rs 24.14 crore, with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) identifying Patel Chowk at Ramgarh as a "black spot" with 22 road accidents recorded there in the last three years. The underpass at Patel Chowk is expected to reduce accidents in the area.
Several other projects to boost tourism and facilitate faster travel were also inaugurated by Gadkari during his visit to the state.
Check out our in-depth Market Coverage, Business News & get real-time Stock Market Updates on CNBC-TV18. Also, Watch our channels CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz and CNBC Bajar Live on-the-go!
In Ayodhya, voters talk of a promise fulfilled and yearning for development
May 17, 2024 2:10 PM
Fight of heavyweights in Sambalpur where farmers, weavers hold the key
May 17, 2024 12:25 PM
Odisha: Fight of heavyweights in Sambalpur where farmers, weavers hold the key
May 17, 2024 10:22 AM
Lok Sabha Election 2024: What rural Delhi wants
May 16, 2024 10:10 PM