Kannur: Union minister for road, transport and highways Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday praised Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for his earnest efforts to speed up the land acquisition procedures for the expansion of national highways in the state. “During his term the land acquisition procedures acquired maximum pace”, Mr Gadkari said while inaugurating the stone-laying ceremonies of various national highway expansion projects.
“The biggest challenge for road development in the state is ensuring sufficient land for projects”, he said.
On the alleged discrimination towards state in sanctioning developmental projects, Mr Gadkari said that though the state and Centre are ruled by two parties there has been no discrimination towards the state in sanctioning developmental projects.
He also promised another Rs 450 crore for reconstruction of roads damaged during the deluge in the state apart from the Rs 250 crore sanctioned earlier.
Funds were sanctioned to Thalassery-Mahe four lane bypass (Rs 1181 crore), four lane Railway over-bridge at Neeleswaram (Rs 82 crore) and expansion of the two-lane Nattukal-Thanavu roa-d at Palakkad (Rs 294 crore). “The works for these projects will start within three months”, Mr Gadkari said.
