Central Roads and Transport Ministry will convert Gujarat certain state highways into national highway, said central minister of this department Shri C.P.Joshi in a press conference near Ahmedabad on Saturday.

Joshi didn’t provide specific detail but added that he was briefed in the morning by officials that 500 km patch of the state highway in Gujarat was suitable to be selected in priority while considering state’s proposal to convert specific state highways into national.

“Our cabinet has taken a decision that we would declare about 10,000 km new national highway. At present we have about 60,000 km worth proposal in total from various states and they are under consideration. We are accessing the proposals. Today when I discussed the issue with officials here in Gujarat, they told me that 500 kms is in priority.Our officials will identify the work as per the prescribed yardsticks,” Joshi said when asked about state’s proposal.

In answer to another question, the minister said, “my colleague in ministry Dr. Tusharbhai wants construction of coastal highway in Gujarat. We agree that once there’s coastal highway, the development speeds up in that area. While considering Porbandar-Dwarka coastal highway we are planning a model in which it can be six lane in some stage, while four lane and two lane in some other stage. This is a new idea.”

Joshi also said that detail project report work for a new express highway in Gujarat was going on.

Joshi was visiting Ahmedabad to address Gujarat Congress MLAs training camp.