Rs 2 lakh crore for roads, Rs 75,000 crore for inland, shipping, ports in five years for Gujarat: Gadkari

Bharuch: Union minister for Shipping, Road and Transport Nitin Gadkari today while speaking at Bharuch said, the govt led by Shri Modi in Centre will spend Rs 2 lakh crore in Gujarat in Road sector by the end of five-year term. Additional Rs 75,000 crore will be spent in inland, shipping and ports sector in Gujarat.

In the function organized here to open a new river bridge over Narmada in Bharuch, Gadkari said: ‘Construction order for this bridge was issued in year 2012 during the Congress government in Centre. In 2014 Nitinbhai from Gujrat came to meet me along with then Chief Minister and informed me about this bridge project and the problem of traffic here. We terminated the old agency and issued new tender and assigned to task to L&T company. The previous work was given for Rs 475 crore and it remained uncompleted by the company and the government in Centre at that time. Now the bridge has been completed for Rs 380 crore. Generally, after cancellation of earlier tender, the cost of the project goes up, but here we did it for same amount in record break time of 34 months. Our government started this work under the leadership of Prime Minister, and today he is going to open it. We got 403 projects worth Rs 3,85,000 crore in legacy. PM took 22 decisions in cabinet, we sat with the banks and 95% projects are over or in progress.’

‘In previous government, construction of highways per day was 2 km while today it’s 22 km – 11 times higher. We make cement-concrete road with 200-year guarantee. Generations will not see potholes on such roads.’

‘Rs 5 lakh crore works are awarded in the country after formation of current government. Rs 1 lakh crore in port, inland and shipping sectors. Prior to our government, shipping corporation and ports were in loss. Last year our all organizations were in prof. We had Rs 6,000 crore profit last year. This march due to our corrective step it’s Rs 7,000 crore profit. Kandla port had Rs 1,000 crore profit this year with 1,000 mt container traffic. We will have smart city and coastal development zone – first in India in 1400 acre size generating employment opportunities for 5,000 youths. At least Rs 75,000 crore investment will be witnessed in inland, shipping, ports sector in Gujarat.’

DeshGujarat