Centre to give Rs 1,000 cr for new national highways in Uttarakhand: Gadkari

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari. Union Minister Gadkari has announced Rs 1,000 crore for new national highways in Uttarakhand and an additional Rs 300 crore for the Central Road Infrastructure Fund.

Pushkar Singh Dhami said, "Under the guidance and cooperation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, historic work has been done in the field of connectivity in Uttarakhand in the last four years. In view of the exorbitant cost involved in the construction of roads and bridges, the assistance provided by the Central government to the State Government would prove to be a milestone in economic development."

Nitin Gadkari told that every requirement of Uttarakhand in terms of roads will be fulfiled. Assistance will also be given for ropeway and cable cars in the state. Recently 42 works costing Rs.615.48 crores were sanctioned at the request of the State Government under the Central Road Infrastructure Fund. Now 300 crores more have been given in this.

Chief Minister Dhami also requested the approval of the construction of a two-lane tunnel for Tehri Lake in Dehradun. He said, "a total distance of 105 km has to be covered by the Mussoorie-Chamba Koti Colony motor road to reach the Tehri Lake from Dehradun, due to which the entire route is in the mountainous area."

The said tunnel is proposed near Rajpur in Dehradun, which will terminate at Koti Colony near Tehri Lake. The total length of the tunnel will be about 35 km. The estimated cost of the construction of the tunnel amounts to Rs 8750 crore.

( With inputs from ANI )