Govt clears infra projects worth Rs 4,226 crore

The government today approved road improvement projects, worth Rs 4,226 crore, for over 440 km of various national highways stretches.

The projects are to be given out on design, build-operate, finance and transfer basis and are part of third phase of the National Highways Development Project (NHDP), the government's programme to develop road infrastructure across the country.

Major projects, cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, include the Rs 1,078.84-crore project for four-laning of 103 km of Farakka-Raiganj section on NH-34 in West Bengal.

Another project approved by the committee is four-laning of 102 km of Barahampur-Farakka section of the NH-34 in West Bengal. The estimated project cost is Rs 998.79 crore and the concession period will be 25 years.

"The traffic on this national highway is expected to increase substantially because of the implementation of South Asia Free Trade Agreement between SAARC countries.

"The commercial traffic generated from Haldia Port, Kolkata and industrial areas in South Bengal heading towards North Bengal, North-East states and neighbouring countries of Bhutan and Nepal has only NH-34 to use," Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said after the meeting of the committee.