Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Tuesday, Aug 02, 2005
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Tuesday, Aug 02, 2005 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Logistics
-
Roadways Industry & Economy - Infrastructure Chhattisgarh road projects work to begin soon, says CM Santanu Sanyal
Mr Raman Singh
Raipur , Aug 1 THE Chhattisgarh Government proposes to start shortly work on road projects worth about Rs 3,000 crore, according to the Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh. "We have decided to accord top priority to connectivity as a means of development," Dr Singh told Business Line here recently. The projects will include upgradation of the State highways and improvement of the district-level connectivity with Rs 1,000 crore assistance from the Asian Development Bank. The first phase of the work will cover 800 km and the second phase 900 km. "We will start work on the first phase in November," he said. A sum of Rs 670 crore would be spent out of the State Budget on various road projects and an additional Rs 750 crore under the Prime Minister's Road Development Programme. An additional Rs 200 crore being provided by the Centre would be used to improve road connectivity in tribal areas. "These are in addition to National Highways projects under the National Highway Development Programme (NHDP)," the Chief Minister said, pointing out that at least four projects under NHDP were in various stages of implementation on BOT basis. The number of National Highways in the State has increased from three to 11, totalling 2,225 km. "Our vision is to convert all NHs passing through the State into four-lane network and to connect all villages with all weather roads by 2010 mainly by way of public-private partnership," he said. Chhattisgarh has a total road network of 36,324 km, comprising 2,225 km of NHs, 3,113 km of State highways and the balance other roads. Chhattisgarh has also urged the Railways to expedite the implementation of various rail projects, more so because the South East Central Railway, covering almost the entire State, is the country's largest freight-loading and highest revenue-earning zonal railway. "We have proposed a north-south rail network to help movement of raw materials from the backward districts of Bastar, Dantewada and Kanker to industrial centres of Raipur, Bilaspur and Raigarh," Dr Singh said. "I understand that the construction of a third railway line between Raigarh and Nagpur is in progress," he added. The Chhattisgarh Government, according to the Chief Minister, has also initiated steps to improve air connectivity. Air Deccan has promised to launch a service linking Raipur with Kolkata via Jamshedpur. Currently, there is no air service between Raipur and Kolkata. Several other private airlines too have shown interest in starting services to link the State's capital with various destinations. "We are also actively pursuing with appropriate authorities the issue of upgradation of Raipur airport," he said.
Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page
|
Stories in this Section |
|
The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription Group Sites: The Hindu | Business Line | The Sportstar | Frontline | The Hindu eBooks | The Hindu Images | Home |
Copyright © 2005, The
Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of
this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of
The Hindu Business Line
|