HYDERABAD: Union minister Nitin Gadkari said the Centre would take up infrastructure development by constructing national highways on par with the American road framework. He said the Centre had sanctioned Rs 8,000 crore for constructing national highways of international standards in Telangana.
Addressing a gathering held in the city on Friday, Gadkari dedicated two national highways and laid the foundation stone to more than 12 others in the state in the presence of union tourism minister G. Kishan Reddy, V.K. Singh, the minister of state for road transport and highways, state minister Vemula Prashanth Reddy and several MPs.
Gadkari said. "We are committed to develop road connectivity making national highways with international standards. We have proposed 26 greenfield expressways across the nation. Of the 26, five express highways will come up in Telangana as part of road development activity," Gadkari said.
"The Centre has decided to develop infrastructure, roads, agriculture and other sectors by providing crores of funds. As part of the initiative, we have provided Rs 8,000 crore to construct new national highways in Telangana. Of the 33 districts, 32 districts will get the best road connectivity in the state. We will invest at least Rs 3,000 crore more to make national highways in the state by 2024," the union minister said.
Explaining about expansion of national highways in Telangana, Gadkari said that there were only 2,511 km of national highways in 2014. "It has been increased to 4,996 km till this year and the total length increased during the last eight years is 2,485 km. It is just a beginning in the state,” he said.
“We will also lay the foundation stone to the regional ring road (RRR) to enhance connectivity,” he said and sought the state government’s assistance to make cluster points.
The northern part of the proposed RRR (NH-161) — Narsapur-Toopran-Gajwel-Jagdevpur-Bhongir-Choutuppal, totaling 158.50 km — has been approved and notified as NH-161AA. The detailed project report (DPR) is under progress with an estimated cost of Rs 11,590 crore, the union minister said.
Keeping in mind the information technology (IT) growth in Hyderabad, Gadkari said the Centre made it clear to generate economic growth by improving IT, employment, poverty eradication, providing welfare of the farm sector and introducing new methods in infrastructure.
