NHs entrusted to NHAI in Bengal higher than other states: Centre

New Delhi: National highways projects worth Rs 476 crore have been sanctioned for West Bengal during the ongoing Financial Year, comprising a length of about 49 km, Centre mentioned on Friday.

While answering an Unstarred question of Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jawhar Sircar, the road, transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari said that the proportion of national highways entrusted to NHAI in the state is higher than those entrusted to NHAI in the entire country.

In his answer, the minister mentioned, "Out of total 3,675 km of national highways (NHs) in West Bengal, a length of 1,800 km is entrusted to National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for development and maintenance. Out of 1,40,995 km of NHs in the entire country, about 60,800 km of NHs have been entrusted to NHAI."

Answering the question by the Upper House member that the ongoing projects for up-gradation and extension of NHs in West Bengal and what will be the increased length and the total expenditure, Gadkari informed the Parliament, "At present 79 projects in a length of 1,488 km costing Rs. 27,360 crore are awarded or ongoing in West Bengal. The length of national highways in the state was 2,908 km in 2014 which has increased to 3,675 km as of date."

The minister further clarified that projects are taken up for execution in each Financial Year on the basis of fund availability, traffic, inter-se-priority, connectivity etc.