IMPHAL, Aug 17 - Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and MSMEs Nitin Gadkari laid the foundation stones of 13 highway projects worth Rs 3,000 crore and inaugurated a road safety project through video conference today. The total length of these projects is around 316 kms.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh presided over the virtual function from Manipur Bhawan in New Delhi, which was also attended by Minister of State (Independent Charge) for DoNER and PMO Dr Jitendra Singh and MoS Road Transport and Highways Gen (retired) VK Singh.
They were joined from Imphal by ministers Th Biswajit (Works), Karam Shyam (Revenue), Letpao Haokip (Water Resources), V Hangkhanlian (Agriculture), Th Radheshyam (Education), MPs RK Ranjan (Inner), Lorho Pfoze (Outer), Leishemba Sanajaoba (Rajya Sabha), Manipur Tribal Development Corporation Chairman Vungzagin Valte, Advisor to Chief Minister K Leishiyo, Chief Secretary Dr Rajesh Kumar and other officials.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister Gadkari announced that the foundation stone for an elevated highway in Imphal city as proposed by the State Government would also be laid soon for which detailed project report is being prepared.
The Union Minister said that the Centre has taken up various projects in keeping with the Prime Minister�s desire to develop infrastructure in the North East.
Informing that dredging has been completed in the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers for transportation through waterways, he suggested linking of Imphal with this river routes and asked for adopting alternate fuel for public transport in the North East as it is cheaper and environment friendly.
In his speech, Chief Minister Biren thanked Gadkari for revamping Imphal-Jiribam and Imphal-Moreh roads and informed the Union Minister that Makru and Barak bridges, for which foundation stones were laid under the Union Minister�s guidance, would be completed by the end of this year.
Stating that lots of developmental changes could be seen in the State ever since the erstwhile �Look East Policy� was changed into �Act East Policy� under the supervision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said that works for upgradation of the four-lane highway on the Imphal-Moreh Road is going on in full swing.
Imphal being a small city, is very congested now. As such, there is a pressing need for an elevated highway, he said. People are thankful for responding positively to the proposal of the 25-km-long Imphal City elevated highway project, he said.