The Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on November 9, approved a series of new road projects in four northeastern states at Rs 68,000 crore.

The motive behind this is to make the roads of international standard surface connectivity.

Addressing a late-night press conference after reviewing various national highway projects in the region, Gadkari said that new projects worth Rs 50,000 crore for Assam, Rs 9,000 crore for Meghalaya, Rs 5,000 crore for Nagaland and Rs 4,000 crore for Sikkim were approved.

He said that their aim is to change the entire scenario of road transport in northeast by 2024. They aspire to make roads of international standards in this region.

Gadkari, who is on a three-day also reviewed programme of National Highway (NH) projects in northeast and Sikkim. He deliberated on issues and progress of projects in Guwahati on November 9.

On the first day of his three-day review programme, Gadkari reviewed the progress of National Highway projects in Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Nagaland with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister of State (MoS) General V.K. Singh, Nagaland Minister of Planning and Co-ordination Neiba Kronu, ministers from other northeastern states, senior officials of the Ministry & State and contractors.

According to the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, the issues related to land acquisition issues, progress of ongoing projects, proposed projects, use of new technologies, disputes & arbitration and possible financial interventions were discussed at length.

Gadkari also reviewed the delayed projects in the four States to understand the reasons for delay and issued specific instructions to get them on track.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) are primarily responsible for the construction of national highways and expressways across the country.

The official target of highway construction is kept at 12,000 kilometers for the current financial year. The ministry constructed 10,237 kilometers in 2019-20, 13,327 kilometers in 2020-21, and 10,457 kilometers in 2021-22.

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