NEW DELHI, Nov 17 ? In a major move to develop road network in the North-east, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highway (RT&H) has proposed a package of over Rs 7,931 crore to develop 6,396 km of national highway in the Region. The process for seeking clearance of Public Investment Board for the special North-east package has been initiated by the Ministry, Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highway, TR Baalu disclosed here today.
The Minister told economic editors that initial plan to develop 1957 km of road network in the NER by double and four laning NHs was junked in the face of the demand from the region to connect all district headquarters through NHs. The chief ministers of all north eastern states (NES) pressed for connecting all district HQs, he said.
After a review of NH works in the North-east at the meeting of PWD ministers of all north eastern states chaired by the Union Minister in Shillong and in view of CMP guidelines focusing on development of the NES, the Ministry has worked out a special package for development of roads in the region. ?Under this, NHs and other roads in the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura would be developed, he said.