Badarpur elevated highway project cleared

Chandigarh, Nov 18 (UNI) The Rs 250 crore Badarpur elevated highway project has been approved by the Centre and the bidding process for the venture will be initiated soon, Union Minister of Shipping and Road Transport T R Baalu said today.

The public-private participation appraisal committee has already cleared the project and the bidding process would be started soon, Mr Baalu said while talking to the reporters on the sidelines of the 67th annual session of Indian Roads Congress which began at Panchkula near here.

Earlier addressing the Congress, Mr Baalu said even though India had the world's second largest road network of over 3.3 million km, the overall condition of these roads was not satisfactory.

He, however, said that the UPA government was commited to undertake all round development of road network in the country in a phased manner so that fruits of development would reach to all the sections of the society.

Minister of State for Shipping and Road Transport K H Muniyappa said a massive programme of upgradation and widening was already under way under different phases of National Highways Development Project.

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda urged the Centre to increase the budget allocation for improvement, repair and maintenance of national highways entrusted to the states.

More than 1500 delegates from all over India are participating in the five day Indian Roads Congress.

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