ITANAGAR, May 1 � Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday 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 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 five roads. 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 last evening.
He said the Ministry had already agreed in principle 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 Northeastern States.
He also said, the Ministry had also laid special emphasis on development of inland water ways and the Parliament had already given clearance for five such projects in the country.
�Development of inland water ways in the Brahmaputra basin would boost connectivity in the region and 17 new water ports will be developed in the Brahmaputra basin�, he said, adding, studies on 101 rivers in Arunachal Pradesh would be carried out for developing water ports. � PTI
