Gadkari: Govt to Construct 3,586 Kms of Highways in Tough Terrains

National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) would construct 3,586 kms of highways worth Rs 34,300 crore in tough terrains, including the North-East, in the first tranche, said Road Transport and Highways Minister, Nitin Gadkari.

A length of 10,000 kms of highways in difficult areas have been identified for development by National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL), a fully-owned company of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Gadkari said while launching its logo, mission and vision here.

"It has been Prime Minister Modi's vision to boost infrastructure in the country as well as promote e-governance. NHIDCL, which is an e-company, would fast-track projects in difficult terrains and North-East and has been tasked to start 60 projects with an estimated cost of Rs 34,300 crore," Gadkari said.

He said NHICL, on the lines of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), will expedite projects mainly in North Eastern regions and strategic areas like in parts sharing international borders to boost economic activities besides job creations.

"The company also has plans to improve road connectivity in international trade corridor, by expanding about 500 kms of roads in the North Bengal and North Eastern region to enable efficient transport with South Asia Sub Regional Economic Corporation (SASEC) countries," he said.

He added that the company also released its first tender pertaining to the improvement to two-lane NH standards of Akajan-Likabali-Bame road in Arunachal Pradesh with an estimated cost of Rs 272 crore.

Gadkari said his Ministry has also tasked the company to come out with a plan of port connectivity to the proposed new port at Sagar in West Bengal, to be built at a cost of Rs 12,000 crore.

A new alignment has been proposed for Uttarakhand Highways at a cost of Rs 11,000 crore, he said, adding, "NHIDCL is proposed to be paperless and an e-company which would operate through e-measures like tendering and e-monitoring and would be totally transparent."

NHIDCL, under MoRTH, for construction of national highway projects in border areas, was incorporated in July 2014 with the aim to fast-track highway projects which have been pending with the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) for several years.

(Image Source: Ministry of Road Transport and Highways)