The government plans to invest Rs. 3 lakh crore in Assam to build national highways that are on par with those in the US, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said. Gadkari underlined that his ministry has enough money for ongoing road projects while speaking during the Rajya Sabha’s Question Hour. The minister gave updates on Assamese national highway projects, emphasizing that the Guwahati ring road project, which is expected to cost Rs. 5,800 crores and be completed by December 2027, is one of them.
“I am confident that after these developments, Assam’s national highways will be on par with those in the USA,” he said. In addition to the ring road, Gadkari had mentioned a significant project for a tunnel beneath the Brahmaputra River in Dibrugarh that is presently pending approval and is expected to cost Rs. 12,000 crore. He asserted that these infrastructural improvements would transform Assam’s highway system, drawing in more capital, creating job opportunities, and fostering the state’s general development.
In response to questions over money, Gadkari promised that the elevated highway project over Kaziranga National Park will proceed with Cabinet clearance and is not subject to any budgetary restrictions. Additionally, he addressed questions about Karnataka’s connectivity from Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and asked him to submit a list of projects that are required. Gadkari responded favorably to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar’s particular plea for national highway connectivity for Tithana village, the village where he was born.