C'garh gets Rs 24 cr so far this year

A sum of Rs 24.00 crore has been allocated to Chhattisgarh for Maintenance and Repair (M&R) of National Highways (NHs) during year 2018-19, the Central Government has informed.

The priority for carrying out M&R of NHs, including the urgent repair works on NHs, generally depends upon nature and extent of damages, overall condition of NH stretches, traffic density, minimum works required to be undertaken to ensure traffic worthiness of NHs, the NH stretches under Defect Liability Period (DLP) obligation or stretches under Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT)/ Operate, Maintenance and Transfer (OMT) Concessions, ongoing works on NHs, status of action taken up for new developmental works, availability of funds, etc.

The need for major repairs on NHs is assessed based on nature and severity of damages. Detailed investigation is carried out to assess the damages to the NHs, it informed.

Based on the outcome of the detailed investigation, the project reports are prepared for undertaking major works of permanent nature and works are sanctioned/implemented accordingly. However, till that time the temporary repair works are carried out to keep NHs in traffic worthy conditions as per inter-se priority and availability of resources.

The Central Government has declared 290.08 kms of roads in Chhattisgarh as new National Highways during 2017-18, officials informed.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is primarily responsible for development and maintenance of National Highways (NHs) and considers declaration of State Roads as new National Highways from time to time depending upon requirement of connectivity, inter-se priority and availability of funds. The Ministry has declared about 30,268 km of new National Highways (NHs) including 53 km of NHs (717A & 316A)in West Bengal since May 2014, they informed.

On the other hand, notably,  the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had already announced plans of  broadening NH–26 to augment connectivity between Raipur and Vishakhapatnam last year.

The total density of National Highways (NHs) in Chhattisgarh is at 23.4 kms per 1000 square kms out of the total length of 3,168 kms in the State, the Central Government has informed.

The declaration of State Roads as new NHs are done from time to time keeping in view the requirements of connectivity and availability of funds, it informed.

About 47,890 km length of State Roads have been approved “In-Principle” for their declaration as new NHs in the country subject to outcome of their Detailed Project Reports (DPRs).

It may be recalled that Chhattisgarh had been already inviting private investors to set up manufacturing clusters for taking advantage of five sea ports within its 600 km reach from the State.

With five ports Paradip and Dhamra in Odisha, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada and Machillipatnam in Andhra Pradesh, the opportunity of setting up of manufacturing clusters in Chhattisgarh is immense, officials informed.

Notably, a mega Multi-Modal Logistic Park (MMLP) is currently under construction spread in an area of 103 acres with an investment of Rs 207 crore in Chhattisgarh’s new capital-Naya Raipur, officials informed.