Prime Minister Modi Approves 8 New Highways in India
The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the development of eight new national highway projects. These highways will cover a total length of 936 km and will cost Rs 50,655 crore.
Key Projects
The eight projects include:
- 6-Lane Agra-Gwalior highway
- 4-Lane Kharagpur – Moregram
- 6-Lane Tharad – Deesa – Mehsana – Ahmedabad
- 4-Lane Section between Pathalgaon and Gumla of Raipur-Ranchi
- 6-Lane Kanpur Ring Road
- 4-Lane Northern Guwahati Bypass and Widening/Improvement of Existing Guwahati Bypass
- 8-Lane Elevated Nashik Phata – Khed Corridor near Pune
Special Projects
In Ayodhya, a 68-km 4-lane access-controlled Ring Road will be developed at a cost of Rs 3,935 crore. This will reduce congestion and provide better connectivity for pilgrims visiting the Ram Mandir.
In Guwahati, a 121-km ring road will be developed at a cost of Rs 5,729 crore. This includes a major bridge over the Brahmaputra River and will ease traffic congestion.
Economic Impact
Infrastructure development is crucial for economic growth. The government has significantly increased the length and construction pace of national highways over the past decade. The total capital investment in national highways has increased six times from Rs 50,000 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 3.1 lakh crore in 2023-24.
Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari highlighted the Kharagpur-Moregram project, which will reduce travel distance and time, enhancing connectivity for six districts.
Doubts Revealed
Prime Minister Modi -: Prime Minister Modi is the leader of India. He makes important decisions for the country.
Union Cabinet -: The Union Cabinet is a group of top leaders in the Indian government who help the Prime Minister make big decisions.
National highway -: A national highway is a big road that connects different cities and states in India, making travel easier.
936 km -: 936 km is the total length of the new highways. It’s like traveling from Delhi to Lucknow and back.
Rs 50,655 crore -: Rs 50,655 crore is a huge amount of money that the government will spend to build these highways.
Man-days of employment -: Man-days of employment means the number of days people will work on these projects. 4.42 crore man-days means a lot of jobs for people.
Agra-Gwalior -: Agra and Gwalior are two cities in India. A new highway will make it easier to travel between them.
Kharagpur-Moregram -: Kharagpur and Moregram are places in India. A new highway will connect these places.
Ayodhya Ring Road -: The Ayodhya Ring Road is a new road that will go around the city of Ayodhya to reduce traffic inside the city.
Guwahati Ring Road -: The Guwahati Ring Road is a new road that will go around the city of Guwahati to make travel faster and reduce traffic jams.
Connectivity -: Connectivity means how well different places are linked by roads, making it easier to travel and transport goods.
Congestion -: Congestion means too many vehicles on the road, causing traffic jams. New roads help reduce this problem.
Infrastructure development -: Infrastructure development means building things like roads, bridges, and buildings to help the country grow and improve.
Economic growth -: Economic growth means the country is getting richer and people have better jobs and lives.