Roads get priority under UPA govt: Muniyappa

Ahmedabad, Sep 25 (UNI) The central government has decided to build 66,620 km of roads out of which 50,000 kms will be built from now till 2012 at a cost of Rs 2,20,000 crores, said Union Minister of State for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways K H Muniyappa here today.

Addressing media persons at state Circuit House, Mr Muniyappa said under the massive investment eight lanes, six lanes, two lanes would be built. And in the NHDP Phase III four to six lanes would be built in 10,000 km of national highways on BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) basis with the help of private participation. In Gujarat, the length of the national highways is 3,263.95 km and during the Tenth Plan, 762.65 km length will be included as the newly declared national highways.

In the East-West corrider of 638 km it would stretch from Vadodara to Gujarat border and from the border to Mumbai, which includes Vadodara to Bharuch and Bharuch to Surat highways that are part of East-West corridor. The work for more than 90 km has been completed, while the remaining 540 km is under implementation and likely to be over by June 2008, Mr Muniyappa said. The Centre has given Rs 5 crore while the state government Rs 1.07 crores, he added.

Until the work is completed in Vadodara-Bharuch and Bharuch-Surat highways toll would be suspended, the minister said.

The work would begin by Diwali and it would be over in two years time, he said. Along the expressway, service roads too would be started for local traffic.

Talking about the damage to the national highway in the recent floods, Mr Muniyappa said that almost all the national highways were affected particularly NH-8 between Vadodara and Surat section; NH-59 and NH-6 of the state. Some stretches of the highways were submerged. However, today the traffic has been restored and Rs 3 crores have been granted on ad-hoc basis for immediate restoration.

The State government has submitted for immediate and permanent restoration work Rs 20.57 crore and Rs 3.48 crore for 2006-07, he said.

Clarifying on the relief from the Centre to the state, Mr Muniyappa said that Rs 193.73 crore was released as central contribution under the calamity relief fund for 2006-07 in addition to Rs 51 crore of the central contribution for the next year. Also an ad-hoc payment of Rs 500 crore under the National Calamity Contingency Fund had already been released by the Prime Minister during last month. Approximately Rs 750 crores has been given to the state, he added.

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