In a big boost to highway construction in Goa, the Union government has sanctioned Rs 128 crore worth of highway projects in the coastal state.
One of the projects is for four-laning of the existing two lane section of Ribandar bypass of NH-748 (Old NH-4A) in the state with a budget Rs 53.27 crore. Other projects include strengthening sections of Panjim – Mangalore highway on NH-66 with a budget Rs 44.8 crore, reports The Economic Times.
“The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has sanctioned eight projects of 39.7 km worth Rs 128.66 crore for the state of Goa,” Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said.
The highway construction in the country is reaching unprecedented levels with the Modi government prioritizing infrastructure development.
In 2020-21, the Union government has achieved the record-breaking milestone of constructing 37 kilometres highways per day.
Other achievements of the ministry include an increase in the length of national highways over the last seven years from 91,287 km (as of April 2014) to 1,37,625 km (as on 20 March 2021).
Also the total budgetary outlay increased by 5.5 times, from Rs 33,414 crore in Financial Year 2015 to Rs 1,83,101 crore in Financial Year 2022.
In addition, from 141 projects (4,788 km) worth Rs 1.71 lakh crore in 2020-21, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is planning to increase the awarded projects to around Rs 2.25 lakh crore in the current fiscal.