The Hindu Business Line : `Golden Quadrilateral will be ready by end-2005'

WORK on the Golden Quadrilateral project will be completed by December 2005, according to the Union Minister of State for Surface Transport and Highways, Mr K.H. Muniappa.

Addressing presspersons here on Thursday, he said that nearly 75 per cent of the work has been completed in this project.

Work on the National Highway Corridor Project is progressing well, and will be completed by 2007.

The Chief Secretaries of the States have been asked to review the implementation of the highway projects every month. Stating that the Forest Department takes nearly three to six months to cut a tree, he said the Chief Secretaries have been asked to co-ordinate such issues with the departments concerned for the speedy implementation of the project.

Such review meetings are being held in Bihar and West Bengal, and Karnataka should also take note of this. This will help contain the project cost escalation.

Mr Muniappa said that 156 districts in the country do not have national highways. The Centre is planning to connect these districts with national highways and work on this will begin soon. Nearly 10,000 km of roads will have to be connected with highways at a cost of Rs 10,000 crore.

Nearly 80 per cent of the people in rural areas, who live near the national highways, do not have sufficient service roads or road-underpasses. Construction of service roads by the sides of the highway and road-underpasses at frequent intervals will help in the smooth movement of cattle and tractors. The National Highways Authority of India has been informed about this aspect.

Apart from strengthening the national highway network in the country, the Centre is also keen on developing environment around them. Stating that many trees have been felled for Golden Quadrilateral and highway corridor projects, he said the Government has ordered for planting trees along the highways.

More Stories on : Roadways | Infrastructure

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Emirates special fares for students travelling to US

Tuticorin port plans to prepay yen loan

Kolkata port to offer sops to use virtual jetty at Saugor island

Balaji Rail bags Singapore order

India Inc gears up to face truckers' strike

Truckers' strike from tomorrow

`Golden Quadrilateral will be ready by end-2005'