PANJIM: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Friday announced nearly Rs 10,000 core infrastructure projects for Goa, including Rs 5000 crore for the four-laning of National Highways 4A and 17B.
He made the announcement in the presence of Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, at the foundation stone laying ceremony of Rs 3400 crore projects – 8-lane cable stayed Zuari bridge, Margao and Canacona bypass and missing link to Verna Industrial Estate.
Gadkari also announced that 350 kms of road covering Karaswada, Honda, Sanquelim and Usgao would be declared a new national highway route.
The Union Minister announced the grant of in-principle approval to the 4-laning of NH4 and NH 17B and said the ministry approved the construction of the elevated corridor from Panjim to Belgum at an estimated cost of Rs 2000 crore and another Rs 2500 crore for six laning of NH 17 from Patradevi to Polem.
Apart from this, the ministry has approved Rs 2000 crore ‘Bharatmala’ project covering 250kms stretch. “The work on all the projects will commence before December 2016 end,” Gadkari said.
Stating that the road accident death figures in Goa indicate that one person dies every day, the ministry has in principle approved Rs 200 crore funds under road safety for development and maintenance of accident prone areas in the State. “Government needs to identify more accident areas,” Gadkari said.
“In the last one year, the government has sanctioned nearly Rs 10,000 crore projects for the State,” he said.
Union Minister for AYUSH Shripad Naik, Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza, PWD Minister Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar and all the ruling MLAs along with Congress MP Shantaram Naik were present on the occasion.
