Gadkari to inaugurate, lay foundation stone for projects worth ₹6,350 cr

Union minister Nitin Gadkari will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of 11 National Highway projects in Jharkhand, including nine from Ranchi and two from Garhwa

Union minister Nitin Gadkari will on Thursday inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of projects worth ₹6,350 crore in Jharkhand, officials said.

The Union Road Transport and Highways Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of 11 National Highway projects in the state, including nine from Ranchi and two from Garhwa.

Among the projects are an elevated corridor worth ₹560 crore in Ranchi, and two projects worth ₹2,460 crore in Garhwa.

Gadkari will inaugurate the 4.18-km elevated 'Ratu Road flyover', which starts near Raj Bhavan and ends at OTC Ground in Ranchi.

In Garhwa, he will inaugurate a 23-km four-lane highway from Shankha to Khajoori, built at a cost of ₹1,130 crore, the officials said.

He will also lay the foundation stone of a ₹1,330-crore project for four-laning of a 32-km stretch of NH 39 from the Chhattisgarh-Jharkhand inter-state boundary to Gumla, they added.

"From Ranchi, the Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Gadkari will launch the ₹1,900 crore Palma-Gumla four-lane project, ₹825-crore Barhi-Koderma four-lane project, ₹100-crore project for Godda, ₹20-crore project for Giridih and ₹70-crore Barahat-Tulsipur project, in addition to the elevated corridor in Ranchi," an official said.

Besides, he will also lay the foundation stone for multiple bridges across Jharkhand, the official added.

Speaking to PTI, Gadkari said, "Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren informed me that he will not be able to attend today's function as his father Shibu Soren is unwell and is undergoing treatment in Delhi."  Meanwhile, officials said Soren extended thanks to Gadkari for the invitation to participate in the event.

"It would have been my privilege to be present on this significant occasion. However, due to the ill health of Shri Shibu Soren ji, I am currently in Delhi attending to his medical care, and hence, will not be able to join the programme," an official quoting Soren's written communication to Gadkari said.

Shibu Soren (81) has been undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the national capital for the past several days.

President Droupadi Murmu and Jharkhand Governor Santosh Gangwar, among others, have called on him. Murmu was Jharkhand's governor from May 18, 2015 to July 13, 2021.

Shibu Soren has been the leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha for the past 38 years and is recognised as the party's founding patron.