Govt okays over Rs 2,500 cr highway projects in five states

The government today approved four highway projects worth over Rs 2,500 crore in five states -- Gujarat, West Bengal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh -- to be built under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP).

The projects were approved by the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure (CCI) and included Rs 828 crore scheme for four-laning of 123 km stretch on Jetpur-Somnath section in Gujarat, an official statement said.

This will be built on design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) basis.

The Committee cleared four-laning of a 78 km stretch on Krishnanagar-Baharampore section on NH 34 in West Bengal to be built under DBOFT basis at a cost of Rs 702 crore.

The statement said that the traffic on NH 34 would increase substantially with the completion of the project due to its strategic importance of the highway which connects the North-Eastern states and neighbouring countries like Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.

"The traffic would increase substantially due to the implementation of South Asia Free Trade Agreement among SAARC countries," the statement said.

The project for Bihar included two-laning with paved shoulders of a 82 km stretch on Muzaffarpur-Sonbarasa section at an estimated cost of Rs 512 crore.

Similarly a Rs 494 crore project was approved by the CCI for two-laning with paved shoulders of a 164 km stretch on Jhansi-Khajuraho section in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
    
"The project is covered in the three districts of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh -- Jhansi, Tikamgarh and Chhattarpur," the statement said.
    
All the highways projects approved today fall under the NHDP phase III, it said.