Gadkari to lay foundation stone for 31 projects in Jharkhand on March 23

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will inaugurate and lay foundation stones for 31 projects worth Rs 13,296 crore in Jharkhand on Thursday, including stretches of Delhi-Kolkata and Mumbai-Kolkata corridors and Bharatmala packages, under which ring road and bypasses are developed, an official said.

Of these, 21 pertain to state capital Ranchi, entailing an estimated investment of Rs 9,453 crore, and nine to Jamshedpur at a cost of Rs 3,378 crore.

Gadkari will dedicate to the nation a 44-km stretch between Jamshedpur and Mahulta on NH-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, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Chief General Manager SK Mishra told PTI.

The project will also drive commercial development in the Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha, he stated.

Apart from these, foundation stone for a four-lane double-decker elevated corridor will be laid on NH-33, connecting Kali Mandi, Dimna Chowk and Baliguma in Jamshedpur, at an estimated cost of Rs 1,876 crore, for reducing traffic burden on the Steel City.

As part of a Bharatmala package, a four-lane access control road will be constructed on Raipur-Dhanbad Economic Corridor of NH 320.

"After completion of the project, Raipur will be commercially connected to Dhanbad and travel time between Ranchi to Bokaro will reduce drastically, this leading to social and industrial development of both the states," the senior NHAI official said.

Gadkari, during the day, will inaugurate a six-lane underpass at Ramgarh, constructed at Rs 24.14 crore, keeping in mind people's safety.

"The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has identified Patel Chowk at Ramgarh as black spot, with 22 road accidents recorded there in the last three years. After the construction of underpass at Patel Chowk, accidents can be checked in that area," the official said.

Besides several other projects to boost tourism and facilitate faster travel will be inaugurated by Gadkari during his visit to the state.

The Union minister is also scheduled to address a BJP rally at Gopal Maidan here.