Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Monday said highway development has witnessed unprecedented growth during tenure of Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari under leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The CM made this statement during a foundation laying and inaugural ceremony of National Highways projects worth Rs 4,239 crore in Chhattisgarh in the presence of the Union Minister.
Speaking at the event, Singh said, "If we compare the work that has been done in the highway department since Independence to 2014 and from 2014 to 2018, we will find that 10 times more work has been done in last four years during the tenure of Nitin Gadkari.
He has approved projects worth Rs 35,267 crore which is 10 times more than projects that were approved from Independence to 2014." Comparing the past development with the present scenario, he said, "Chhattisgarh was one such state of India where there were National Highways of soil which has all been converted to concrete now. Roads have been constructed in all parts of the state and they have also been widened by 10 metres."
After Gadkari took charge, he created a web of roads with a budget of Rs 35,000 crore to Rs 36,000 crore. It is him who has facilitated the construction of all bypasses of the State. Some internal roads are left which we want him to approve as well, Singh said.
Chhattisgarh is fastest growing state among the three states constituted by former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2000, said Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation Gadkari .
Later, Gadkari along with Chief Minister Raman Singh conducted public dedication and ‘bhoomi pujan’ of works worth Rs 4251 crore, eight construction works. On the occasion, he also announced upgrading of five roads and four bypass routes and construction of five new bypass routes at cost of Rs 2,218 crore.
The Union Minister said Chhattisgarh can become Bio-fuel hub in the country. There exists ample potential. In Nagpur, around 1,000 tractors are being run on bio-fuel. Today there is need for research in bio-fuel sector. Recently, mixing ethanol with petrol the successful experiment to run vehicle has been done. It has to be promoted.
Chhattisgarh which grows paddy, the hay can be used to produce ethanol, which would benefit the farmers economically and also help in reducing the rates of petrol, he said.
On request of the Chief Minister, Gadkari sanctioned the upgrading of 37 kilometres Jhalmala to Serpur at cost of Rs 268.11 crore, Madanguda to Khutagaon bordering to Odisha with distance of 27.60 kilometres at cost of Rs 169 cr, Serpur to Kohka having 47 km at Rs 368.70 crore, Rs 304 crore Mungeli to Podi 42 km road and Abhanpur to Pond 31 kilometres road at cost of Rs 262.98 crore. Similarly, at cost of Rs 229 crore the Takhatpur, Mungeli, Pandariya and Pondi bypass road upgrading work has been sanctioned.
Gadkari also announced new bypass road construction at a cost of Rs 458 crore at Kondagaon, Jagdalpur town, Lakhanpur, Kawardha and Bemetara.