Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announce tramline between Raipur and Durg

Raipur: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said that the in next five years Chhattisgarh will have roads like in America and announced that tram will be run between state capital Raipur and Durg like Europe. On tram project, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that he will complete the project with state fund provided Centre completes work of electric lines between Raipur and Durg. 

The Union Minister, who was in Raipur to inaugurate various projects during a programme at Pt Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College Auditorium, said that he will fulfill all the demands of MLAs and MPs of Chhattisgarh and appealed the state government to give momentum to land acquisition and forest clearance process. Roads worth Rs 1 lakh crore will be constructed in the state if these clearance are given at the earliest, said the Union Minister.

The Union Minister said that Chhattisgarh has the highest mineral resources and the state can grow at double speed if value addition is done to these resources. Citing the speech of America President John F Kennedy, Gadkari said that America is rich and therefore the roads in the country are very good.

Gadkari said that it is necessary to connect villages with better road networks for the development of farmers while recalling the words of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The farmers today are backward as they are unable to take their product to city in the absence of better road facility, said Gadkari while quoting the former Prime Minister. “I was only 36 then and Vajpayeeji asked me to head the committee formed to prepare a report for the improvement of roads in rural areas,” said Gadkari. After three months when he met Vajpayeeji with the report there was one of the members of the planning commission with him and he told the former Prime Minister that it was the work of the state governments to connect villages. “Such a remark by the Planning Commission member disappointed me and I told Vajpayeeji that he will fight the election not they. You are the law maker so it is upto you to decide.” A fortnight after the meeting, former President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam announced Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana from the Red Forte.

The Union Minister mentioned about the Raipur-Vishakhapatnam Greenfield Highway worth Rs 16000 crore which will reduce 200 km distance between the two destinations on the completion. The road will pass through Raipur, Dhamtari, Kanker, Kondagaon, Nabrangpur and Vijaynagaram. He also spoke about another 707 km stretch corridor between Dhanbad and Raipur which will be constructed soon.

The Union Minister laid emphasis on employment and industrialization to end naxal menance in the state. The demand made by the state in this direction will be fulfilled on priority, said Gadkari. The Union Minister also stressed on the need for ethanol is the fuel of the future. The government has granted permission for the opening of ethanol pumps. Ethanol is a green fuel.

Earlier, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel demanded a flyover from Telibandha to Magneto The Mall, four-lane of Baloda Bazaar Road and connection of Koriya-Sukma road to the National Highway under Ram Van Gaman Path.