Gandhinagar: A provision of ₹500 crore has been made for the development of roads and infrastructure under the SER (Surat Economic Region) as a new budget item for 2025–26, while works worth ₹1,749.10 crore are currently under planning, Governor Acharya Devvrat said while addressing the Gujarat Legislative Assembly at the start of the Budget Session on Monday.

He further stated that, in a major push to strengthen the state’s road and transport infrastructure, the Gujarat government plans to build the Namo Shakti Expressway and the Somnath–Dwarka Expressway to improve north–south and east–west connectivity and manage rising traffic demand. Spanning about 1,100 km at an estimated cost of ₹93,240 crore, the projects are expected to link industrial hubs, tourist destinations, and ports, benefiting over 2.5 crore people across 15 districts and accelerating development in remote regions.

Highlighting broader infrastructure expansion, the Governor said work is in progress on 12 projects worth ₹7,206.18 crore under the Garvi Gujarat High-Speed Corridor.

The state has also approved 20 climate-resilient road projects worth ₹1,147.08 crore, alongside the completion of 1,001 km of road widening costing ₹2,373 crore. Another 1,427 km of widening works, valued at ₹5,083 crore, is currently in progress. Bridge infrastructure is also expanding, with 28 bridges completed and 86 more under construction.

Rural connectivity continues to remain a priority. Since 2016–17, more than 36,000 works covering 86,757 km have been approved under the Mukhya Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, of which 27,830 works spanning 66,330 km have already been completed. A provision of ₹5,403 crore has been made for 2025–26. All works under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana Phases I and II have been completed, while 3,012 km has been covered under Phase III, including hundreds of roads and dozens of bridges. Road connectivity between Saputara and the Statue of Unity is also progressing, with widening work completed on 95 km in Narmada, Tapi, and Dang districts.

To support industry, mining, and port connectivity, the state has sanctioned 231 road projects covering 2,343 km at a cost of ₹7,178 crore, with more than half already completed. Gujarat has also finished 46 port-connectivity road works spanning 757 km. Under the proposed ₹2,440-crore Coastal Highway, construction has begun on multiple stretches, with several roads already operational. In the Ahmedabad–Gandhinagar region, six-laning of the Sarkhej–Gandhinagar Highway has been completed, while elevated corridors, flyovers, and bridges are under construction.

The Governor added that 82 railway overbridges have been completed across the state at a cost of ₹3,931 crore under a joint initiative with the Ministry of Railways, aimed at easing congestion, improving safety, and reducing travel time. Collectively, these initiatives signal a large-scale infrastructure upgrade designed to boost economic activity, enhance logistics efficiency, and provide faster, safer mobility across Gujarat. DeshGujarat