The Union Minister of Road Transport, Highways and Shipping, Nitin Gadkari, on Monday said that the Centre has decided to relax the rules in order to expedite the construction of National Highways in hilly and Naxal-affected States like Jharkhand.
Participating in an online news meet from Delhi with scribes of Jharkhand and other States, Gadkari also said that locals would be involved in the construction of the highways.
“We have decided to change the norms for hilly and lWEs (left-wing extremist) areas. local residents would be trained, provided smaller packages and advances for machineries. Our Department would also conduct workshops for skill development of smaller contractors,” said the Union Minister.
The online meet was part of the exercise to tell the public about the 100-day report card of the Modi Government.
Road projects in several areas of Jharkhand are stuck for years for want of contractors and also due to local level resistance and law and order problem. The Ministry thinks that involving locals would work as a two-pronged strategy and besides, upgrading skill for local unemployed youths it can be an enabler by providing source of income for them and solve the socio-economic problems of the area.
A host of highway projects, including NH 75 and NH 33, are languishing at various stages of development. Even plans to get 86 bridges built along the NHs had got stuck. These bridges were planned to be constructed in Naxal-infested areas of the State falling on Ranchi-Daltonganj, Ranchi-Khunti, Padwa More-Hariharganj, Bagodar-Chatra etc.
Gadkari, on the occasion, also mentioned Ranchi-Rargaon-Mahulia stretch of the National Highway-33 on which work has remained paralysed for long. “There are lots of problems about this project in Jharkhand. I am taking steps to streamline it,” added the Minister. Though, he added that vehicle tracking system, 24-hour ambulance service and accident relief scheme on pilot basis would be started on the upcoming stretch. The Minister also indicated towards multi-facet uses of the land along NH by putting fiber optics, gas and water pipelines which can generate lots of revenue for the Government.
At the same time the Minister also indicated that the projects would be a boost for the closed cement factories in the State.