New Delhi: In a major push to road infrastructure in the North East, Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday inaugurated and laid foundation stone for 16 national highway projects in Manipur with a total outlay of Rs 4,148 crore.
According to a road ministry statement, the projects will provide all-weather connectivity to Manipur with the rest of the country and the neighbouring countries.
These highway projects will boost agricultural, industrial and socio-economic progress of the region, besides facilitating health care and emergency service to the remotest of the areas and generating employment and self employment opportunities, it said. The minister "inaugurated and laid foundation stone for 16 National Highway Projects in Manipur with an investment of Rs 4,148 crore covering total length of 298 kms," as per the statement.
Inaugurating the projects in Imphal, the road transport and highways minister said projects worth Rs 5,000 crore have also been sanctioned for the state and the detailed project reports (DPR) will be completed within six months and the work will start in a year's time.
Gadkari said expansion of highways in the state will be recommended under the Bharatmala Phase ll Pariyojana. He pointed out that the PM is giving the highest priority to the North East and road infrastructure will contribute in development of Manipur and make it socially and economically strong.