Govt targets ₹5.35 Lakh-cr investment in Phase-I of Bharatmala

Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari informed that to augment the country's border infrastructure, a large number of highway and aviation projects are underway in J&K, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and HP. The work on the ₹12,000-crore Chardham project is in full swing for providing all-weather connectivity to Gangotri, Kedarnath, Yamunotri and Badrinath. BRO has completed three of the 17 strategic projects where highway stretches are being doubled up as airstrips, mostly in border areas. Many of these projects are being executed by BRO and the NHIDCL as a total of about 34,800 km of the road lengths are in Phase I of the Bharatmala Pariyojna at an estimated cost of ₹5.35 lakh crore. The move will boost the value of agriculture and other produce in the border areas. The projects, in collaboration with the defence ministry, is enabling highway stretches to double up as airstrips when needed in border areas where there are no airports in 300-400 km vicinity.