<span style="color: #222222;">The Asian Development Bank -ADB today signed a 177 million US dollars loan to upgrade 450 km of state highways and major district roads in Maharashtra . An official release said, under the Maharashtra state road improvement project, two major district roads and 11 state highways, with combined length of 450 km will be upgraded to two-lane standard across seven districts. It said, the projects would improve connectivity to national highways, interstate roads, seaports, airports, rail hubs, district headquarters, industrial areas, enterprise clusters and agricultural areas. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Additional Secretary (Fund Bank and ADB), Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance Sameer Kumar Khare said, the project will improve connectivity between rural areas and urban centres in the state enabling rural communities to better access markets, employment opportunities and services. Improved mobility will expand development and livelihood opportunities outside of the state's major urban centres to second-tier cities and towns thus reducing income disparities.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' The release said, the project will also focus on training the Maharashtra Public Works Department project staff to build their capacity in climate change adaptation and disaster resilient features in road design, road maintenance planning and road safety.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' Country Director of ADB's India Resident Mission Kenichi Yokoyama said the project will also strengthen road safety measures by developing a road safety audit framework that will protect vulnerable groups such as the elderly, women, and children, following the international best practice. He further said the project is to road maintenance system by encouraging five-year performance-based maintenance obligations to contractors to sustain asset quality and service levels.</span><br />''