Railway projects in the Northeastern states have covered a total length of 1909 km at a cost of Rs. 81,941 crore whereas a total of 4,950 km of National Highway Network has been developed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways during the last nine years in the Northeastern region.
Presenting a report card of the Bharatiya Janata Party in North East in the last nine years, Union Minister of Development of North Eastern Region G Kishan Reddy in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today laid out the railway and road projects that have been undertaken by the Ministry of Development of North-East Region.
As of 01.04.2023, 19 railway infrastructure projects, falling fully or partially in North Eastern States, covering a total length of 1909 km at a cost of Rs. 81,941 crore are at different stages of planning, approval, and execution. Out of these, 482 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of Rs.37,713 cores has been incurred up to March 2023, stated a release by the Ministry of Development of North-East Region.
During 2014-23, 1618 km of sections (377 km New Line, 972 km Gauge Conversion, and 269 km Doubling), falling fully or partly in North Eastern Region have been commissioned at an average rate of 179.78 km per year, which is 170% more than average annual commissioning during 2009-14 (66.6 km per year).
A total of 4,950 km of National Highway Network has been developed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways during last nine years (i.e. 2014-2023) at a cost of Rs.41,459 crore in North Eastern Region, said the release.
In addition, the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region, under the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) and North East Road Sector Development Scheme(NERSDS) has sanctioned 77 road projects amounting to Rs.3372.58 crore (51 projects worth Rs.4345.16 crore under Schemes of NEC has been sanctioned under rail, air and road networks in the North Eastern States).
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Benefits of Railway and Road infrastructure projects in the North East Region, inter-alia include integration of people of North-East with the mainstream of the country, faster movement of essential goods and agricultural products, increase in employment opportunities for the people of this region, Socio-economic development of the area, development of tourism industry and increase in industrial activities in the region and thereby boosting the overall economy of the North-Eastern States.
Source: ANI
