Rs 19.68 crore sanctioned for Indo-Myanmar road

IMPHAL, March 2: External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh today informed the Rajya Sabha that the Centre has already sanctioned an amount of Rs 19.68 crore for the construction of a national highway connecting Tamu with the country. He was replying to a question raised by Rajya Sabha MP, W Angou Singh. The minister further informed the House that the project was taken up to foster cross border trade, tourism and to improve the economic condition of the Border States. To another question raised by W Angou, Union minister of State for Road Transport and Highway, BS Khundu said that construction work covering 648 kms of the proposed East-West corridor connecting Silchar in the East with Porbandar in the West and the North-South corridor connecting Srinagar and Kanyakumari has been completed. Another 272 kms is already to be laid, he added. The Union minister further said all the national highways in the Northeast have been upgraded and movements along the highways have been greatly facilitated. A sum of Rs 224.83 crore have been earmarked for development of highways and another sum of Rs 78.47 crore have been earmarked for maintenance, he further informed the House.