Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday unveiled nine new road projects worth Rs 30,000 crore during the Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit in Jaipur. These projects will expand the state’s road network by 800 kilometers, improve connectivity, reduce travel time, and stimulate economic growth in the state.
Key Road Projects in Rajasthan
Nitin Gadkari discussed nine projects that would make road infrastructure in Rajasthan shift gear. The projects looked to strengthen connectivity between city hubs, optimize transport logistics, and subsequently the economy of the country. The most notable projects were:
Northern Jaipur Ring Road: 110 km-long with an estimated cost of Rs 6,500 crore will be developed in order to decongest Jaipur city by making a road bypassing it. The traffic flow along the northern ring road would improve immensely, thereby saving a lot of travel time.
Kotputli-Agra Greenfield Expressway: This expressway is estimated to be Rs 6,800 crore. It will directly connect Kotputli and Agra and ease the transportation of goods and passengers. The project is likely to be completed by September.
Jaipur-Kishangarh-Jodhpur to Amritsar Highway: This is one of the most ambitious projects with an outlay of Rs 12,000 crore. This highway will connect major cities and improve trade routes in the region. The Detailed Project Report for this highway is under preparation, and work is likely to start soon.
Six Other Infrastructure Projects: These are smaller but equally important projects that will further contribute to Rajasthan’s road network development.
These road upgrading works will not only increase transport efficiency but also facilitate trade and tourism in Rajasthan. It will stimulate investment in agriculture, mining and manufacturing industries with the boost in logistics and connectivity.
Economic Gains and Farmer support
Gadkari elaborated on the potential economic impacts of the road projects for the rural population, while infrastructure is very much a need of growth for the road projects. He especially underlined the land value effect, which is the benefits for land prices.
The road projects always result in fivefold upgradation of land prices when these projects are executed; therefore, Gadkari said that the government in Rajasthan should give 40% of the developed adjacent land to farmers who benefit in terms of economic output of agriculture in the villages from such a project.
This can help the government improve the livelihood of the farmers while enhancing agricultural development in the region. The idea suggested by Gadkari fits well within the broader framework of inclusive economic growth that should involve both urban and rural people.
Progress on Project Timelines and Development
Gadkari presented a schedule of timelines for many major projects. Kotputli-Agra Greenfield Expressway would likely get completed by September; such expressways are critical and, for the State of Rajasthan, will mark an important milestone for road infrastructure development.
Another is Jaipur-Kishangarh-Jodhpur to Amritsar Highway in which the DPR was underway to finalize. On getting implemented, it will take several years, but its benefits will come along way.
Other Than Road Infrastructure: It will discuss the future of agriculture in the state. Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was on stage talking about government efforts in sustainable farming practice in the state. A push from Centre in the direction of mechanized farming is going to sort the issue of labour scarcity while efforts towards less usage of chemical fertilizers would lead to the practice of more environmentally friendly agriculture practices.
Chouhan also emphasized the Centre’s commitment to rural development through the construction of 341,620 houses under the PM Awas Yojana (Grameen) at a cost of Rs 4,099 crore. This will improve the housing conditions of rural families and contribute to overall rural development in Rajasthan.
Conclusion
Nitin Gadkari has launched nine significant road projects worth Rs 30,000 crore in Rajasthan. These would result in connectivity improvement in the entire state, boost the economic scenario, help the farming community, and uplift the standard of living for residents. This is reflective of the vision of transforming Rajasthan into an important trading as well as farming center in India by developing the infrastructure and sustainable farming techniques.
At the end of the Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit, these roads and agricultural projects will help chart the future of the state.
Refer :
Business-Standard, Link to article
Also read : NHAI’s DME Development Ltd Hits Rs775 Crore Mark with Green Bonds for Sustainable Growth