Centre to invest heavily in road, port sector: Baalu

Kochi, Feb 9 (UNI) Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways T R Baalu said the Centre would invest not less than 60 billion dollars in the road and port sectors to provide requisite infrastructure to sustain the country's economic development.

Speaking at the inaugural function of the connectivity projects for the Vallarpadam project, he said the Centre would invest 48 billion dollars in the road sector and 12.5 billion dollars in the port sector before 2012.

The Centre had earmarked 320 billion dollars for the development of infrastructure in rail, road, port, shipping, telecommunication and Civil Aviation to support the country's economic development.

To improve the road network, 11,113 km of four-lane roads would be developed under the National Highway Development Programme.

He said 20,000 km of two-lane roads and 6,500 km of six-lane roads would be constructed in the country.

Besides, 1000 km of express highway and 6,500 km of roads in the North-East would be developed.

Mr Baalu said the annual port capacity would be increased from the present 600 million tonne to 1500 million tonne by the end of the 12th five-year plan.

Referring to multi-modal infrastructure for Vallarpadam, he said it would support a string of other related projects under the National Maritime Development Programme like LNG Import and Regasification Terminal, Bunkering Terminal and Single Point Mooring.

UNI