Work on Dwarka Express Highway Proj to begin by Dec: Gadkari

Work on Dwarka Express Highway would begin by year-end as the Haryana government has handed over the project to the Centre, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said today.
"Dwarka Express Highway is very important. Before December we will start work on that. This is the project from Haryana government and the Chief Minister has surrendered the project to us. We declared it a National Highway and will start work on this," the Road Transport and Highways Minister said this in reply to a query at Economist India Summit here.
The Minister said the project was stuck due to dispute between Haryana and Delhi governments but now Haryana portion has been completed and land acquisition in Delhi has started.

Also, he said, the government has planned 12 expressways across the country and work on would begin by the end of this year.
The Minsiter said the tenders will shortly be out for the Vadodara-Mumbai and Delhi-Jaipur etc projects which would be access-controlled expressways.
Also, he said, the government would complete the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways projects within 400 days as announced.

(REOPENS BOM 9)
Meanwhile, in a bid to promote water transport, Gadkari today announced that his ministry has sanctioned building of passenger jetties at nine locations in the state, including Borivali, Gorai, Vasai, Bhayander, Virar, Manori, Ghodbunder and Malwan.

He said the Maharashtra government's original proposal was for developing the infrastructure at 69 places and promised that the remaining 69 will also be positively considered.
Gadkari also mooted the idea of installing a marina in the north-west suburb of Bandra, which can handle passenger movements.
The minister also appealed to Bombay High Court Chief Justice for an early hearing into a case where MbPT (Mumbai Port Trust) wants to take over the Radio Club, saying it has not come up for hearing in the last six years.
He said the Club, which hosts wedding receptions among other activities, is on MbPT land and it is time it was handed back so that the same amenity can be used for handling passenger ships.

The minister said a note on land use policy in major ports that will clear the decks for redevelopment in MbPT has been moved to the Cabinet and exuded confidence that it will tabled during the Winter Session of Parliament starting November 16.
Gadkari laid the foundation stone for the Rs 811-crore fifth oil berth at Jawahar Dweep at MbPT, which will add 22 MTPC capacity by accommodating larger vessels.
He also laid the foundation stone for a Rs 50-crore bunkering facility at MbPt and a Ro-Ro (roll-on/roll-off) terminal for passengers at the Bhaucha Dhakka here.