New Delhi, April 4 (IANS) Union Road Transport and Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday announced a series of highway development and infrastructure projects for six states — Odisha, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Rajasthan — valued at Rs 3,200 crore to improve connectivity, road safety, and boost regional economies.

In Odisha, an allocation of Rs 447.11 crore has been approved for the upgradation of the 103.52-km Kurumpuri–Raj Khariar section across NH-353 and NH-59, spanning Nuapada and Balangir districts.

The project will strengthen interstate connectivity with Chhattisgarh and improve access to key tourist destinations, while enhancing road safety through black spot rectification and paved shoulders, Union Minister Gadkari said.

In another separate X post, the Union Minister said that in Gujarat, approval has been granted for the upgradation of the 68-km Naliya–Narayan Sarovar section of National Highway-41 at a cost of Rs 508 crore.

The project is expected to enhance connectivity to Narayan Sarovar, a key religious site, and improve access to nearby wildlife sanctuaries and tourist destinations. It will also address accident-prone spots, ensure safer travel and reduce travel time, while strengthening connectivity to Mundra Port.

Additionally, another project worth Rs 698.78 crore has been approved in Gujarat for the upgradation of the 57.848-km Chitrod–Rapar–Balasar section of NH-927C. This corridor is strategically important for industrial transport, particularly for raw materials linked to the Morbi ceramic industry, and connects major tourist destinations such as Dholavira and Dhordo. The project also includes a bypass for Rapar city to ease congestion.

In Madhya Pradesh, the government has approved Rs 758 crore for upgrading a 22-km stretch of the Itarsi–Betul section of NH-46 into a four-lane highway. The stretch includes a key tiger corridor, where 11 dedicated underpasses and overpasses will be constructed to facilitate safe wildlife movement. The project will improve freight efficiency, enhance safety and support farmers’ access to markets.

For Uttarakhand, Rs 461 crore has been sanctioned to undertake landslide mitigation and repair works at 20 vulnerable locations. This includes 17 sites on NH-134 in Uttarkashi district and three sites on NH-9 in Pithoragarh district. The works are aimed at ensuring safer and uninterrupted connectivity, particularly on routes crucial for the Char Dham Yatra and border areas.

Meanwhile, in Rajasthan, Rs 363.89 crore has been approved for the construction of an elevated corridor in Kherwara town on the Udaipur–Ratanpur–Shamlaji section of NH-48. The project will segregate local and through traffic, address identified black spots and ease congestion, thereby improving travel time and safety.

Union Minister Gadkari said these projects are part of the Union government’s continued efforts to build world-class highway infrastructure, improve logistics efficiency, and promote economic growth across regions.

–IANS

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