Rs 2.35 lakh crore national highways project by 2015;official

New Delhi, May 2 (UNI) A senior government official today said the Rs 2,35,690 crore national highway development project in the country will be completed by 2015.

Director-General (roads) G Sharan said, ''India with its vast road network of over 33 lakh kms is the second largest network in the world, next only to the United States. Of this, over 75 per cent are rural roads which connect over six lakh villages in the country.'' In his inaugural address at a workshop here, he pitched for cement concrete roads, saying these last longer than bituminous roads. Such roads also utilise industrial wastes like flyash and thus help in solving its disposal problem. The fuel consumption and other vehicle operating costs are lower in case of concrete roads.

He said these roads by using modern technologies like ready-mix concrete and mechanised pavers are faster to construct.

UNI SAA PDT KP2013