Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said that the roads, bridges and tunnels in J&K would be of western Europe standards in the coming three years.
The minister laid the foundation stone of 25 National highway projects in J&K, of the total length of 259 kms with an investment of Rs 11721 crore, during a function in Doda area of Jammu.
“In the coming three years roads, tunnels and bridges of J&K would be of western european standards. It will bring development, prosperity, tourism, investment and industry to this place. Farmers could export their produce in time and efficiently. This region will become self reliant,” Gadkari promised.
He stated that all the projects and proposals put forth by the Lieutenant Governor of J&K Manoj Sinha have been approved, which included the inclusion of seven road projects in Jammu in National Highway and Bharat Mala.
Gadkari also announced plans to build an inter model station in Katra of Jammu, where Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine is located, which will include a bus station, railway station and a helipad at one place. This station would be connected with the 650km Delhi-Katra expressway.
“Mata Vaishno Devi shrine is central to our faith. Delhi-Katra distance will be covered in six hours. And Jammu to Srinagar will be covered in four hours within the next two years,” said Gadkari adding, “We used to raise this slogan from our childhood: Where Shyama Prasad Mukherjee sacrificed that Kashmir is ours.”
The union minister also said that he follows the principle of former US president John F Kennedy, who has said that “American roads are not good because America is rich but America is rich because American roads are good.”
“The road infrastructure in India will be equal to America in the coming times. We will reach Delhi to Srinagar in eight hours, Delhi to Mumbai in 12 hours, and Delhi to places like Chandigarh, Haridwar, Dehradun and Jaipur in two hours. This is my promise,” said Gadkari.
He urged the J&K LG, to encourage sustainable energy options and use air conditioned electric busses not only in the cities of Jammu and Srinagar but for long distance inter-district and inter division travel as well, which will also reduce the travel cost significantly for the commuters. “From next month, I will be using a green hydrogen car in Delhi,” he said.
Source : Economic Times
