New Delhi, July 18, 2024: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai today met Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and discussed significant infrastructure projects aimed at enhancing connectivity and promoting economic growth in the state. The chief minister proposed new national highway projects to make road transport in the state more accessible and convenient, increasing direct connectivity to tribal areas and Ayodhya were discussed in detail. On which, Union Minister Gadkari gave necessary instructions to the concerned department officials.

During the meeting at his residence, he focused on the urgent need to expand the national highway network in the state to connect remote tribal areas with major economic centers.

Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao and Chhattisgarh Finance Minister OP Chaudhary, Secretary to the Chief Minister P Dayanand, Rahul Bhagat, Public Works Department Secretary Kamalpreet Singh and other department officials and officials of the Government of India were also present in the meeting.

Pointing out that currently, Chhattisgarh has 20 national highways spanning a total length of 3575 km, the chief minister said that for the social and economic development of the state there is necessity to declare additional roads as national highways and to upgrade and widen existing routes.

The chief minister mentioned that Chhattisgarh has sent proposals for 13 works worth Rs. 1383 crore to the Ministry under the Central Road Fund in the year 2024-25 and sought timely approval for these projects.

The chief minister also gave proposals for two new national highways. Raigarh-Dharamjaygarh-Mainpat Ambikapur-Uttar Pradesh border and Kawardha-Rajnandgaon-Bhanupratappur-Antagarh-Narayanpur-Gidam-Dantewada-Sukma.

Raigarh-Dharamjaygarh-Mainpat Ambikapur-Uttar Pradesh border: The proposed 282-kilometer route starts from Chhattisgarh's Raigarh (NH-49) and connect Mainpat, district and divisional headquarters Ambikapur (NH-43) via Dharamjaygarh and reach Uttar Pradesh border via Wadrafnagar. It will facilitate transportation of coal and other mining ores and is expected to connect Chhattisgarh with the religious city of Ayodhya.

Kawardha-Rajnandgaon-Bhanupratappur-Antagarh-Narayanpur-Gidam-Dantewada-Sukma: The proposed route, spanning 482 kilometers, connects six national highways and links five district headquarters. Its significance lies in connecting tribal-dominated areas and potentially reducing Naxal activities by improving accessibility to Bastar's iron ore mines.

During the meeting, the chief minister also discussed plans to upgrade the infrastructure of existing highways and the proposal to declare the 11-km bypass road connecting NH-53 to NH-30 as a national highway.

He mentioned that three national highways 53, 130B and 30 pass through Raipur, in which bypass road connecting NH 53 to NH 30 has been constructed and NH 30 to 130B is a national highway and is proposed in Annual Plan 2024-25. This strategic move is set to transform Raipur city's ring road into a fully integrated national highway.

The chief minister also pointed out the need for four-lane widening from Katghora to Ambikapur on National Highway No. 130 and construction of grade separators at Sarona Chowk, Udyog Bhawan, and Telibandha Chowk for safe traffic from Tatibandh to Telibandha on NH No. 53.

He also proposed to make four-lane NH 30 Dhamtari to Jagdalpur and Raipur-Balodabazar-Saranggarh road in NH 130B in the annual plan 2024-25 of National Highway. At the same time, he has requested approval for construction of grade separators at two junctions of Raipur-Durg NH 53, Sirsa Gate and Khursipar Junction.

The chief minister informed the union minister that Chhattisgarh is scheduled to host 83rd annual session of the Indian Road Congress (IRC) in Raipur from November 8 to 12, 2024 and invited him to inaugurate the prestigious event. The union minister assured all possible cooperation to strengthen the road infrastructure in Chhattisgarh.