The State Public Works Department's National Highway Zone has sought forest land diversion for widening and upgrading of Ambikapur - Pathalgaon section of National Highway-78 for two-laning purposes in the State.
The area of forest land proposed for diversion is 31.104 hectares and non-forest land required for this project is 85.0849 hectares, officials informed.
Notably, a sum of Rs.1897 crore have been allocated for the construction of National Highways during the last three years in Chhattisgarh under head National Highway (Original) and National Highway Development Program – IV, the Central Government has informed.
There are 18 numbers of National Highways passing through Chhattisgarh, it informed.
A length of 378 km four-lane National Highway have been completed in the State.
Out of total 2032 kms, National Highways had been declared in-principle in Chhattisgarh and stretches will be taken up for development depending upon inter-se priority and availability of funds.
Nationally, about 20,557 km of National Highways are under DPR preparation as on June 30 in the current financial year in the country, the Government informed.
Notably, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways allocated Rs 1533.68 crores to Chhattisgarh for development of national highways during the current financial year, the Government has informed.
A total of Rs 895.63 crore had already been spent so far for development of national highways in the State, it informed.
During the last financial year, a total of Rs 359.94 crore was allocated out of which 339.80 crore was spent for the development of national highways in Chhattisgarh.
Chhattisgarh is also all set to get new national highways (NHs) with roads totalling length of 1367 kms, inform officials.
It may be recalled that Chhattisgarh had been already inviting private investors to set up manufacturing clusters for taking advantage of five sea ports within its 600 km reach from the State.
With five ports Paradip and Dhamra in Odisha, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada and Machillipatnam in Andhra Pradesh, the opportunity of setting up of manufacturing clusters in Chhattisgarh is immense, officials informed.
The Chhattisgarh Government in 2015-16 had informed that it had adopted Public Private Partnership (PPP) model for development of roads and expects capital investment of nearly Rs 10,000 crore.
A total of 12 roads have been marked under Chhattisgarh State Road Development Project, out of which work on developing six roads has already been started, officials stated.
In 2015-16, 3724 kms of roads were built and upgraded and construction of 41 bridges has been completed. Construction of 123 bridges is in progress, officials had informed.
The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had approved Rs 3,300 crore for broadening and upgradation of the National Highways in Chhattisgarh in 2015-16.
Notably in July 2015, the Central government had also announced that it would award contracts for three key road projects in Chhattisgarh measuring 149 kms to be developed at an estimated cost of Rs 3,522 crores this year, officials stated.
It had targetted to award 273 road projects in the country covering a length of approximately 12,900 km amounting to about Rs 1,26,700 crore during 2015-16 under various schemes of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, officials had stated.
The Central government had also sanctioned an amount of Rs 305.56 crore for 10 important works under Central Road Fund Scheme during 2015-16 in Chhattisgarh, officials stated.
These 10 works include construction of one road route, two Railway over-bridges and under-bridges, one fly-over and bridge.
The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways acquired 115 hectares of land in Chhattisgarh for taking up various national highway projects during 2015-16, the Central Government has informed.
Notably, land for the construction of National Highways in the country is acquired under the provisions of the National Highways (NHs) Act, 1956, and the compensation is determined in consonance with the applicable provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTlARR) Act, 2013.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had acquired 66 hectares of land during 2014-15. It had targetted to complete 10,950 km of National Highways during 2015-16 in the country. A total length of 1733 km have been constructed till July 31, 2015.
The Central government had also sanctioned an amount of Rs 305.56 crore for 10 important works under Central Road Fund Scheme during 2015-16 in Chhattisgarh, officials stated.