A whopping Rs. 34,000 crore was sanctioned for the development of 1,065 km of roads across Kerala by Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways, and Shipping, on Tuesday.
Announcing this here after kicking off the four-laning of the 26.5-km Kazhakuttam-Mukkola stretch of the 43-km NH 66 Thiruvananthapuram bypass extending to Karode on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border, Mr. Gadkari said the Centre was ready to take up the works by December-end if the land was acquired and handed over by the State.
The Minister said he had asked Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to set up a committee under the Chief Secretary to expedite the land acquisition process and to take up works as soon as possible.
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“Money is not a problem. If there is a will there is a way. Otherwise, the project will be confined to surveys and discussions. Political will and positive approach are needed for development,” he added. Mr. Gadkari said he had detailed discussions on the NH development with Mr. Chandy, Minister for Public Works V.K. Ebrahim Kunju and top PWD officials on Monday night.
Presiding over the function, the Chief Minister said the State wanted world-class roads as roads were very crucial for infrastructure development and in attracting investors.