MoRTH clears Rs.1,250 cr infra project

In a major push to the inland water infrastructure, the Road & Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has cleared Rs.1,250 crore for overall development of inland water transport of Assam. The Minister called upon the state government to involve a foreign consultant, if required, for preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR) within three months. Of this amount, Rs.32 crore will be utilized for constructing 56 terminals and Rs.60 crore for roll-on, roll-off ferry service in which people and goods including vehicles would be ferried. Infrastructural development and will also be brought about at the terminals at Bogibeel, Nematighat, Kamalabari, Silghat, Jogighopa, Silchar, Dhubri and Pandu. The minister also asked the state government to take immediate steps to upgrade the entire network of embankments measuring around 4,474km and make them road-cum-dykes. The investment of the upgrade job would be borne by the Centre and that the raw materials should be procured from local markets and local youths should be involved in the project.