Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Dr. C. P. Joshi has asserted that the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre has given top priority to strengthen the infrastructural facilities to speed up the process of overall development. As the gigantic task needs massive investments, the Public-Private Partnership model has been developed for this purpose, he added.
He was speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the four laning project of Nagpur-Wainganga Bridge section of National Highway No Six near Mouda in Nagpur district on Thursday.
Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Mr. Mukul Wasnik, who presided over the function, called for timely completion of the project and made a strong plea to the Road Transport Minister to take into consideration various developmental issues relating to the National Highways passing through the city and extension of some medical facilities to the local populace under the Corporate Social Responsibility of the NHAI.
Maharashtra Minister for Social Justice Mr. Shivajirao Moghe and Minister of State for Finance Mr. Rajendra Mulak along with other dignitaries were present on this occasion.
AIR correspondent reports, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has entrusted various stretches to National Highway Authority of India for implementation under the National Highway Development Programme. These projects are being developed through Public-Private Partnership or EPC mode. The Authority has taken up various projects totaling 3,775 kilometres for development under this programme in Maharashtra of which four laning of the stretches of around 1, 250 kilometres has already been completed.
National Highway No Six, which traverses through the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal covering a total length of 1, 940 kilometres, is also known as the Asian Highway No. 46 connecting to West. Maximum length of this highway of around 800 kilometres is in Maharashtra and various stretches are in different stages of development. Once the entire highway is developed, it would form a major arterial route connecting Western and Eastern states in the country.
The Nagpur-Wainganga Bridge section covering length of around 45 kilometres has been taken up under the third phase of National Highway Development Programme. The four laning of this section would be completed within a span of thirty months at the approximate cost of Rs 484 crores.
