Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Shipping, has promised to help Karnataka develop the road network in the State.
“Our priority is to develop the road infrastructure network by upgrading the existing roads in the country and declaring some of the most important roads as national highways to help economic growth and make the country prosperous. We firmly believe that good roads will lead to industrialisation, which in turn will not only generate more employment opportunities but also help eradicate poverty. In this context, there cannot be any kind of discrimination as far as development issues are concerned. We are very fair to Karnataka in ensuring that it gets its due with regard to development or roads. Whenever MPs from Karnataka approach me with proposals for upgrading of roads, I will only be thinking how best I can help with all magnanimity,” he said here on Saturday.
Mr. Gadkari was speaking after laying the foundation stone for the four-laning of the NH 63 stretch between Hubballi and Hosapete and from Hosapete to the State border in Ballari, and other infrastructure development projects.
He said that Public Works Minister H.C. Mahadevappa could come to him with more proposals along with detailed project reports for upgrading and improving roads with high traffic density in the State to which he would give clearance without delay. There was no dearth of funds, he added.
“During the first two years of the National Democratic Alliance government, we could develop an additional 2,000 km of road as national highways. By the end of the fifth year of our tenure, we want to ensure Karnataka would have 14,000 km of NH from the present 7,000 km. The government of Karnataka should accelerate the process of land acquisition to ensure that the proposals are executed without delay,” he said.
