Network Planning Group under PM GatiShakti recommends five road connectivity projects

New Delhi: The Network Planning Group under PM GatiShakti in its 51st meeting recommended five projects of ministry of road transport and highways worth ₹15,683 crore

These five projects are in of Mizoram, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand and Kanpur and would improve connectivity to industrial clusters and social sector assets and improve logistics efficiency through streamlining freight traffic movement and decongestion of cities.

A total of 85 infrastructure projects worth ₹5.39 lakh crores have been evaluated in the meetings so far, said a statement from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The meeting was chaired by Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Sumita Dawra, Special Secretary (Logistics), DPIIT.

Critical from the perspective of regional connectivity, the Greenfield Twin Tube Uni-directional Aizawl Bypass Tunnel of 2.5 km, proposed under Bharatmala Pariyojna-2, will enhance connectivity between Sittwe port on Kaladan river in Myanmar and North East Region. It will also provide connectivity to economic centres in Sairang, Aizawl, Seling, social sector assets including Zoram Medical College, Mizoram Central University and NIT Aizawl, and tourist places including Solomon’s Temple Church, Aizawl, Mizoram State Museum, Aizawl.

This project is expected to reduce time taken and bring in efficiency due to an increase in average speed by 50%. Through this tunnel, travel distance and time between Phaibawk and Sairang, is expected to reduce by 39% and 60%, respectively.

Two capacity augmentation projects in State of Maharashtra, important from the perspective of connectivity to economic centres, religious and tourist places, industrial clusters and defence assets, were evaluated. Both projects- Nashik Phata to Khed alignment and Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Palkhi Marg, planned using NMP Portal with focus on key principles of PM GatiShakti National Master Plan are envisaged to improve connectivity to 10 Economic Nodes and 12 Social Nodes, enhanced multi-modality with integrated infrastructure development and improved utility network. Land acquisition and other clearances are being optimised, through identification of clearance or approval requirements on NMP Portal.

The proposed project on construction for mitigation measures of 20 nos. landslides, 11 nos. sinking zones and 2 nos. of bridges in the State of Uttarakhand will ensure all year-round connectivity between various parts of Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, industrial locations such as Karnprayag and Gaucher, helipads located at Gaucher and are critical from disaster management perspective.

Greenfield project of construction of 6-lanning bypass/ring roads around Kanpur city under Bharatmala is likely to reduce travel distance and time and fuel consumption. The project will be useful for decongestion of Kanpur City and provide direct connectivity between Lucknow Kanpur Expressway, NH-19 and further towards Chakeri Airport.

Discussion on the Ministry of Steel (MoS) proposal to include slurry pipeline projects within GatiShakti framework and Network Planning Group evaluation process was also held.