Nitin Gadkari inaugurates 8-lane NH-44, 11 flyovers

Mukesh Tandon

Sonepat, June 20

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the newly constructed eight-lane NH-44 and 11 flyovers, along with six service lanes, constructed at a cost of Rs 900 crore here today.

Praising CM Manohar Lal Khattar for transforming the state, he assured of Centre’s full cooperation in this regard. He was addressing a public gathering at Gauravshali Bharat rally, held in the new grain market, on the completion of nine years of the Central government.

He announced a grant of

Rs 300 crore under the Setu Bharatam Yojna for the construction of ROB and RUB to make the state free of railway level crossings and also announced the construction of a bypass from the Narwana road to Rohtak road and a ring road from Jind to Ikkas.

Gadkari said his ministry was working on 100 projects in the state, which were expected to be completed by December 2024. Of these, 51 projects of 2,200 km, worth Rs 47,000 crore, had been completed, while 30 projects of 830 km were in progress. He said among 19 other projects of 756 km, worth Rs 20,000 crore, a detailed project report of 14 projects had been prepared.

He said works of projects involving an investment of Rs 2 lakh crore would be carried out in the state by December 2024, which would change the image of the state.

Taking a dig at the Congress, he said the Central government led by PM Modi, had done twice the work than what the Congress could not do in 60 years.

The minister applauded Central schemes, including Ayushman Bharat Yojna, PM Ujjawala Yojna, Jan Dhan Yojna, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna.

Thanking Gadkari, the Chief Minister said 17 national highways had so far been constructed in the state. Talking about the previous Congress government, Khattar said people were aware of the atmosphere of fear, corruption and nepotism that prevailed then. “We have eliminated that system and provided a fearless atmosphere and graft-free governance,” he claimed.

He said 86,000 jobs were given during 10 years of the Congress government’s regime, whereas the present government had given 1.10 lakh jobs so far, while 60,000 more jobs would be given within the next six months.

The CM said his government was working on eliminating the “3Cs” corruption, crime and caste-based politics. Apart from it, emphasis had been laid on “5s” “shiksha”, “swasthya”, “swabhiman”, “suraksha” and “swavlamban” (self-reliance), he said.