Lucknow, Jan 26 (IANS): Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari laid the foundation stones for Rs 5,000 crore road projects in Ghazipur of eastern Uttar Pradesh on Thursday.

Lauding the people for giving a stable government in the state and at the Centre, Gadkari said the fact that these projects were being kicked off was because of the people who made this possible through the mandate in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

He also forewarned the contractors who would construct the road not to indulge in corruption and malpractices, saying that he would not spare anyone of them if found guilty.

Gadkari said on account of the network of roads that was being started with these projects, Ghazipur would soon become an industrial hub and also announced that other than the four-laning of the National Highway 29, NH 97 will also be expanded to four lane.

The union minister also laid the foundation stone for a small dockyard in Ghazipur and said it would be used as a stop-over on the Varanasi-Haldia waterways.

Gadkari said it was the dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to see the Purvanchal (eastern Uttar Pradesh) prosper and get rid of the backwardness as soon as possible.

He announced that next time when he came to Ghazipur, he would do so by a sea plane. The minister also informed that five- and seven-star cruises would also be coming to Ghazipur through the waterways network.

He also said that while the Centre would send funds to the state, it was the duty of Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya to ensure that the money was spent well and utilized for the purpose it was being sent.