Criss-Crossing New India: NDA Government Awarded 5,700 Kms Of Highway Projects Under Bharatmala Scheme

Giving a massive fillip to infrastructure development, PM Narendra Modi government has awarded 5,700 km of projects under its ambitious Bharatamala project, reports Financial Express.

“To address and resolve issues pertaining to the land acquisition under the multi-crore Bharatmala project, the Centre has been working closely with ruling dispensations in states,” said Nagendra Nath Sinha, MD of National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited.

Bharatmala is a mega, umbrella programme that aims to construct 34,800 km of highways at a cost of Rs 5.35 lakh crore. In FY19, around 2,222 kms of road contracts were awarded. Around 3,400 km of roads were constructed in FY19, up from 3,071 kms built in FY18.

Recently, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government would focus on building a network of ‘world-class expressways’ in the country.

Gadkari added that the central government was aiming to award work for around 6,000 kms under the Bharatmala initiative.

In December 2018 the minister had also noted that 1.31 lakh km of National Highways was created till that point of time.