PM to lay foundation stone of a highway project on April five

Panipat, Apr 1 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will lay the foundation stone of the six laning of the ten kms long National Highway (NH-1) covering Panipat city on April five here.

The Rs 325 crore project including the construction of 3.4 km long elevated highway, is slated to get over by the year 2009.

Divulging the project details, the Haryana Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Mr Dharamvir stated that this project would be a part of North-South Corridor in Haryana. An elevated structure would cover the congested crossing of Gohana road, Sanuali road, Assand road and go upto Skylark tourist complex where Haryana Mini Secretariat is expected to be built later.

He said that separate two-lane peripheral road with paved shoulders on either side of access controlled six lane highway for the local Panipat traffic would be provided. He added that two underpasses with 5.5 m vertical clearance and 20 metre effective span to accommodate four lane divided carriageway with a median and 1.5 metre footpath on either side would also be provided.

Giving further details of the project, Mr Dharamvir said that widening, construction or reconstruction of culverts, drains and ducts would also form a feature of the project. He stated that a new bridge covering peripheral roads and main carriageway over the existing drainage crossing near the PWD rest house would be constructed.

He said that signalised junctions for Gohana road crossing, Sanauli road crossing, railway road, bus stand, devi mandir road, and Assand road crossing with through traffic would be provided over the elevated structure. He said that a lane toll plaza, lighting of access controlled road and peripheral roads and traffic safety features were part of this project.

The Chief Parliamentary Secretary maintained that the State Governemnt had formulated a massive plan for strengthening the road infrastructure. He added that 1,142 kms of rural roads would be upgraded at a cost of Rs 350 crore under the Bharat Nirman Yojna during this financial year.

He stated that 4,000 kms of state roads would be improved during the year and state highways would be widened in a phased manner. He further added that a master plan for 88 railway over bridges had been prepared. He maintained that nine bridges were under construction and the construction work on nine others would start soon.

Mr Dharamvir informed that the proposal of 18 bridges had been submitted to the Union Government for approval. He said that rehabilitation, widening, reconstruction of old bridges was being taken up with NABARD loan assistance worth Rs 60 crore.

He further added that budget of Rs 929 core had been allocated during 2006-07 as compared to Rs 512 core during 2005-06 for roads and bridges.

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