Nitin Gadkari lays foundation stone of road projects in Arunachal Pradesh

ITANAGAR: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari today announced various road projects for Arunachal Pradesh and laid the foundation stone of five roads with total length of 542.27 km involving an estimated cost of Rs 3,286.28 crore to boost up accelerated development in the land-locked state.

The Union Road Transport and Highways Minister, who was scheduled to visit Ziro in Lower Subansiri district, could not make it due to inclement weather and laid the foundation stone of two laning of Potin to Panging section of NH 229, two laning of Pasighat to Panging section of NH 229, two laning of Changlang/Tirap district boundary to Changlang section of NH 52 B, two laning of Mahadevpur to Buri Dihing section of NH 52 B and two laning of Longding to Kanubari section of NH 52 B.

Gadkari, accompanied by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju, Chief Minister Nabam Tuki and PWD minister Gojen Gadi, earlier in the day dedicated the 32.50 km Stilwell road section from Jairampur to Pangsau Pass in the Indo-Myanmar border to the nation.

"The Centre is committed for development of Arunachal and is initiating various schemes to connect the land-locked state with rest of the country," Gadkari said while addressing a Press conference here this evening.

He said the ministry had already agreed in principal to provide a package of Rs 5,000 crore to the state for construction of various National Highways through the newly- constituted National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), especially for the northeast states.

"Out of the package e-tenders for six road projects namely, two laning of existing Hunli-Anini road on EPC basis from design km 21.500 to km 53.500 (package-I), two laning of existing Hunli-Anini road on EPC basis from design km 53.500 to km 92.500 (Package-II), two-laning of existing Hunli-Anini road on EPC basis from design km 92.500 to km 131.920 (Package III)," he said.

"Also two-laning of Akajan-Likabali-Bame road from Km 12.00 to Km 33.00, two laning of Changlang District Boundary to Khonsa Section from Km 146.0 to Km 190.0 and 2 laning of Singer River to Sizoh Nala Section from Km 22.0 to Km 62.0 e-tenders have been invited and the process will be end by May 18 next," Gadkari said.