Giving much needed fillip to the road network in the State, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday laid the foundation stone of highway projects worth Rs 1,321 crore through video conferencing from New Delhi.

The event was organised at Asanboni under Seraikela Kharsawan district. In his message to the audience, Gadkari said that the Union Government will usher progress in the State by spreading wide road network. He promised that the re-tender of the Jamshedpur-Ranchi road has been completed and work will start soon.     

Chief Minister Raghubar Das said that roads and bridges not only connect the city or to the village but also connect the two hearts. He said that road is a way to connect economic, social and tourist destinations. The roads of the State and the country can only be strengthened by infrastructure. Das said that the work of Ranchi-Tata Highway was halted for a long time. This highway is the life line of Jamshedpur. He promised that the construction of the road will be completed in 18 months.  The CM said that the State Government is fast spreading the network of roads across the State. He promised that the construction work of the airport will also be completed in the next two years.

He also announced Kanderbera Chowk will be named after Pandit Raghunath Murmu, the father of Santali language script.

Das also announced that a new four-lane will be established on the Swarnarekha river between Bhilaipahadi to Bhuiyandih in Jamshedpur. The ground-breaking ceremony will be performed in one month. Its construction will facilitate traffic and the common people will get relief from traffic snarls. He said that every street will have street lights in the state. The work will start in villages in the month of April.

“Detailed project report (DPR) will soon be prepared for another road linking Litti Chowk in Bhuiyandih to Bhillaipahari (NH-33),” announced Das.

 Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated the four-lane road linking Domuhani (in Sonari) and Kanderbera (in Chandil) comprising 7.10 km approach road and 252 meter long bridge at a cost of Rs 141.82 Crore and laid the foundation stone for completion of widening work of NH-33 linking Ranchi and Jamshedpur to be done in four stretches by four private contractors.

Project director NHAI Ajay Sinha said that construction work on NH-33 stretches will commence from April 1.

Others who addressed the Asanboni ceremony included Jamshedpur MP Bidyut Baran Mahto and state food and civil supplies minister and Jamshedpur West MLA Saryu Roy.