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Raipur, November 08, 2024: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari today approved works worth Rs 20 thousand crore for the development of roads in Chhattisgarh.
This also includes the approval of DPR for four-lanes in four national highways.
While inaugurating the 83rd Annual Session of the Indian Road Congress, being organized at the Science College campus in Raipur today, Union Minister Gadkari said within two years the network of National Highways of Chhattisgarh will be equal to that of American network.
“Today I assure that I will give sanction to all the demands that you have made for Chhattisgarh,” he added.
On this occasion, he approved works worth Rs 20 thousand crore for the development of roads in Chhattisgarh. This also includes the approval of DPR for four lanes in four national highways.
Gadkari announced the sanction of funds for four-laning of national highways from Dhamtari to Jagdalpur, Raipur to Balodabazar-Sarangarh, Katghora to Ambikapur and Bilaspur to Akaltara-Raigarh up to Odisha border.
He also sanctioned funds for the construction of several single lane and two-lane roads in Chhattisgarh.
Gadkari announced the sanction of funds for the construction of flyovers at Sarona, Udyog Bhavan, Telibandha and Dhaneli junction in Raipur. He also approved one-time improvement works of three roads.
Gadkari also announced Rs 900 crore from the Central Road Fund (CRF) for the construction of roads.
He said that an important thing has started in Chhattisgarh. “We have started making a bamboo crash barrier from here. There is no need to use steel, it is eco-friendly. You should use bamboo crash barriers instead of iron in the entire Chhattisgarh. This will encourage the village farmers to plant bamboo”.
They have made bio vitamins from straw and it is being used in Meghalaya. Recently in Panipat they have started making one thousand liters of bio vitamins and bio aviation fuel from straw. If this is made from straw then a great work will be done in Chhattisgarh, Gadkari said.
Efforts have to be made to reduce road accidents. Try not to let accidents happen. For this, adopt all technical measures, he said.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai, while presiding over the inaugural programme of the event, said maintaining environmental balance development have to be made. In India transport sector contributes 40 per cent to the country’s pollution. The officials should think about this with an integrated approach. Also toilets have to be made on the roadsides.
Chief Minister Sai said that it is a matter of great pleasure that Chhattisgarh has got the privilege of hosting the 83rd session of the Indian Road Congress. He said the state was constantly getting the support and encouragement of Gadkari. Recently, he had approved very important road projects worth Rs 11 thousand crore for Chhattisgarh. “I thank him wholeheartedly for this,” he added.
The Chief Minister said that on November 01, Chhattisgarh completed the 24th year of the establishment of the state and now have entered the silver jubilee year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set the goal of building a developed India by the year 2047. Accordingly, the state of Chhattisgarh is moving forward with the resolution of building a developed Chhattisgarh.
Chhattisgarh has prepared its vision document, and was moving accordingly to achieve its goals in a very strategic and systematic manner. He was also excited about the organization of this 83rd Indian Roads Congress in Chhattisgarh. He said that by the year 2028, his government has decided to double the GSDP of Chhattisgarh to Rs 10 lakh crore.
Chief Minister Sai said that roads is the biggest strength for building a strong economy in Chhattisgarh, as roads were much more convenient than other means of transport looking in to the geographical conditions of the state. In the last 10 years, there has been a many fold development of national highways in Chhattisgarh, many important projects including Raipur-Visakhapatnam Economy Corridor are going on at a fast pace.
Sai said biggest priority of his government is to lay a network of roads in rural areas. “We are connecting even the most inaccessible areas of the state with the main roads. In this vast area, we want to do this challenging work in less time, less cost but in a sustainable and quality manner. Our thinking is not only to build roads, but to build good roads. We are keen to adopt such techniques of road construction which are more environmentally friendly. We have resolved to adopt green energy as much as possible, we are keen to know how green energy can be used more and more in the field of road construction and road safety.”
Union Minister of State for Road Transport Ajay Tamta, while addressing the inaugural function of the convention, said that a network of roads is being laid in India from the Himalayas to the sea. All are working with the goal of making India a developed nation by 2047.
Deputy Chief Minister and Public Works Minister Arun Sao said Chhattisgarh has the immense blessings of nature. Along with big rivers, mountains and forests, there are reserves of everything from coal to diamonds. Chhattisgarh has been the place of penance and the land of work of many saints and mahatmas.
He said that after becoming a separate state, Chhattisgarh has developed rapidly in every field. With the support of Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, a network of roads is being laid in Chhattisgarh.
Sao expressed hope that in this 83rd convention of the Indian Road Congress, experts from across the country will brainstorm about the research, innovation, new machinery and new technologies being done in the country and the world regarding road construction and road safety and will take meaningful initiatives to solve the problems of this field.
The inaugural programme of the Indian Road Congress was also addressed by D Sarangi, Director General of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Dr. Kamalpreet Singh, Secretary of the Public Works Department in the Chhattisgarh Government, President of the Indian Road Congress K.K. Pipri and General Secretary S.K. Nirmal.
Three guidelines and a manual prepared by the Indian Road Congress related to road construction and road safety were also released in the inaugural session today.
The guests also released the souvenir of the Indian Road Congress in the programme.
