Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced Rs 90,000 crore for improving roads and national highways in the Northeast in the next two to three years to facilitate better connectivity.
The prime minister dedicated to the nation a 271-km two- lane national highway connecting Tura in western Meghalaya and Shillong.
He said that the Centre's motto is 'transformation by transportation' and that the development of the North East is his government's one of the top priorities.
"This road will serve as an east-west corridor. It will boost economic activity and establish a direct link between the important towns of the state, Shillong and Tura. Travel time will be significantly reduced. Our motto is 'Transformation by transportation'," Prime Minster Modi said.
Meghalaya was the second stop of the prime minister after Mizoram during his day-long visit to the Northeastern region today.
"Over the next 2-3 years, an investment of about Rs 60,000 crore is proposed under the Special Accelerated Road Development Project (SARDP) in the Northeast and an investment of Rs 30,000 crore under Bharatmala is proposed for development of national highways in northeastern states," Modi said while addressing a BJP rally here.
He said the central government has sanctioned around 4,000-km of national highway (NH) across the Northeast at a cost of Rs 32,000 crore.
The prime minister said that over 1,200 km of NH was constructed at an expenditure of nearly Rs 14,000 crore during the last three years alone.
Union Minister K J Alphons was present on the occasion.
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With Agency Inputs
