Centre approves 6 national highways for Gujarat

GANDHINAGAR: The Centre has approved six new national highways for Gujarat as well as the refurbishing of a 277 km highway between Bhavnagar and Veraval in the Saurashtra region, Gujarat state road and building minister Nitin Patel here today.

"The Gujarat government made several representations to past Union governments to approve this important project, but our demands were unfulfilled. However, the Narendra Modi led government has approved this project and asked the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to construct this highway in three phases," Patel said.

"The total cost of these projects will be Rs 2,415.22 crore. This will include Rs 908.64 crore for the 94 km stretch between Bhavnagar and Mahuva, Rs 685.54 crore for the 81 km stretch between Mahuva and Una, as well as Rs 821 crore for the 101 km stretch between Una and Veraval, Patel said.

Besides these, the Centre also approved six other national highway projects for different parts of state, Patel said.

"The Centre also approved six more two-lane national highways with a cumulative length of 805 km for the state. As these roads have been converted to national highways, the state need not worry about expenses to maintain or resurface these roads," Patel said.

These projects include Radhanpur-Charada stretch of 165 km, Bhimasar (Kutch)-Khavda stretch of 163 km, Limbdi to Kunda stretch of 85 km, Mahuva to Jetpur stretch of 181 km, the Ahwa to Pipaliya 106 km stretch near Maharashtra border and the 103 km Dhoraji to Jamnagar stretch, he said.