CCEA approves strengthening of roadways connecting Varanasi and Madurai

Approves Rs 9,500 crore worth of projects

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today approved the strengthening and widening of three sections connecting the temple towns of Varanasi and Madurai.

The four laning of the Sultanpur-Varanasi section of National Highway - 56 in Uttar Pradesh will upgrade Varanasi's connectivity to Lucknow and other parts of Central Uttar Pradesh. The total capital cost will be around around Rs 3,800 crore on this 138 km long stretch.

The CCEA also approved the four laning of the National Highway - 29 in Uttar Pradesh. The stretch will go from Varanasi to Ghazipur, Gorakhpur and further to Nepal. This is likely to improve regional connectivity and facilitate improved movement of people and goods in the region and across the border. The four laning of this 200 km stretch will have a total capital cost of approximately Rs 4,400 crore.

In an another decision, the CCEA also approved the four laning / two laning with paved shoulders of the Madurai-Ramanathapuram section of National Highway - 49 in Tamil Nadu.

This work will be under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) Phase-III for a total length of 115 km, with a total capital cost of about Rs 1,400 crore. The project is likely to be completed in two and half years from the date of award.

The improvement of this stretch of National Highways 49 is a long pending demand of the people of Tamil Nadu, since it connects important business centres and temple town of Madurai to the southern most tip of the country.

"These decisions will bridge the infrastructure deficit in the country in an equitable manner. These pro-active steps will also strengthen the national highways network across the country, especially in regions where there has been a chronic shortfall. In this context, despite market related constraints, a total of 8,000 km of National Highways were awarded during the financial year 2014-15," according to official release.

In total, the CCEA today approved the strengthening and widening of 455 km of National Highways, with a total capital cost of about Rs 9,500 crore.