Govt. goes for Rs.3,782 cr coastal road upgrade

The Union government has decided to implement project under Bharatmala Pariyojana, whereby state will have to only acquire the land and the transport ministry will execute and upgrade 192.8 km of coastal roads in Kerala under Bharatmala Pariyojana entailing an investment of Rs.3,782 crore. The project has been aimed at improving the connectivity to eight of the 17 intermediate and minor ports in the state. Bharatmala Pariyojana is a centrally funded road and highways project and Centre was approached as the state got only three port connectivity roads initially under the umbrella program for highway sector compared to the 26 given in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra (12) and eight to Tamil Nadu. With the ministry agreeing to include upgrading the targeted length, the state exchequer can save over Rs.2,500 crore as these roads identified figure in the 656.5 km coastal highway that will pass through nine districts. The State will now have to bear only the cost of acquiring the land, PWD sources said.