Surat, June 3 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate two sections of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and lay the foundation stone for four National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) projects worth a combined Rs 12,421 crore during his visit to Surat on June 5, coinciding with ‘World Environment Day’.

According to the state government, the projects are aimed at strengthening connectivity across South Gujarat, improving freight movement, and supporting economic activity in the state’s tribal, industrial, and coastal regions.

The Prime Minister will inaugurate the 36-km Kim–Ena section (Package VI) and the 27.5-km Gandeva–Ena section (Package VII) of the Vadodara-Mumbai Expressway.

Constructed at a cost of Rs 7,689 crore, the two packages form part of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway corridor and include a network of major and minor bridges, rail-road bridges, flyovers, and vehicular underpasses.

The government said a total of 70 underpasses and two interchanges have been built across the two sections to facilitate local connectivity.

The eight-lane expressway is expected to strengthen regional transport links and enable faster movement of passenger and freight traffic.

Seven rest areas are also planned along the two packages to improve safety and convenience for road users.

The government stated that the opening of the two sections would speed up the movement of goods and help reduce logistics costs for local industries, in line with the objectives of the Bharatmala Project.

During the visit, Modi will also lay the foundation stone for four highway projects worth Rs 4,732 crore.

These include the four-laning of the Dhamasiya-Bitada/Movi section of National Highway 56 under Package IV, the four-laning of the Nasarpor-Malotha section of NH-56 under Package VI, a six-lane vehicular underpass near Reliance on the Surat-Hazira stretch of National Highway 53, and a vehicular underpass-cum-flyover at Kavas.

The government said the NH-56 upgradation project would improve connectivity to the Statue of Unity and strengthen links with tribal districts, including Narmada, Tapi, Valsad, and Chhota Udepur.

“By four-laning the Dhamasia-Bitada and Nasarpore-Malotha sections under the upgradation of NH-56, connectivity to the Statue of Unity and the tribal districts of Narmada, Tapi, Valsad, and Chhota Udepur will improve,” the government said in a statement.

The 107.67-km corridor is expected to reduce travel time by up to 40 minutes and increase average travel speeds by approximately 75 per cent.

According to the government, the highway will connect farmers, industries, and trade routes while linking pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing clusters, fishing and seafood clusters, tribal regions, and logistics nodes, including one airport, two railway stations, and two ports.

Foundation stones will also be laid for two projects worth around Rs 149 crore on the Hazira Port-Surat section of NH-53.

These include a new six-lane flyover and a vehicular underpass intended to facilitate the uninterrupted movement of heavy freight traffic serving Hazira Port and surrounding industrial areas.

“The new 6-lane flyover and underpass will ensure smooth and faster movement of heavy freight traffic for Hazira Port and industrial areas,” the government said.

Officials said the projects are expected to support maritime trade and industrial activity while improving road safety and reducing congestion for local commuters in Surat.

The flyover and underpass are also expected to ease traffic pressure in the heavily industrialised area surrounding Hazira Port.

–IANS

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