From Our Special Corrrespondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Jan 15: Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari on Friday laid the foundation stone for the construction of two national highway projects involving a total cost of Rs 323 crore.

The two road works are the construction of an elevated corridor of 3.6 km at Rani Chennamma Circle linking National Highways 63, 219 and 4 in Hubballi city at a cost of Rs 298 crore and the construction of a 4-lane road and minor bridge involving a total length of 2.77 km at Dastikoppa in Kalagahatgi taluk on National Highway 63 at a cost Rs 25 crore.

Gadkari, in his speech, announced that 13 national highway projects involving a total length of 847 km and a total financial expenditure of Rs 21,000 crore have been given approval in different parts of Northern Karnataka. The projects include 4-laning of Hubballi-Dharwad bypass construction, Hubballi-Hosapete National Highway and 4-lane peripheral road of Belagavi.

The Centre was committed to giving importance to agriculture and industry as part of the poverty alleviation efforts and also for the use of green fuel, which will be beneficial to farmers, Gadkari said.

The chief minister said Karnataka was fortunate and privileged to have the union road transport and national highways minister Nitin Gadkari taking part in the foundation stone laying functions for national highway construction projects in the state for the second time.

Yediyurappa expressed happiness that the Centre is executing national highway projects involving a total financial outlay of Rs 1.16 lac crore and assured that the state government would extend its full cooperation for the completion of the projects as it would help in the progress and development of the state.

Deputy chief minister and public works minister Govind M Karjol said it was a matter of pride for Karnataka that 222 projects involving a total cost of Rs 77,297 crore have been implemented under Gadkari’s leadership in the state. The Centre has also given approval of upgrading 8,819 km of roads in the state, he said.

Chief minister B S Yediyurappa, union minister for chemicals and fertilisers D V Sadananda Gowda and union parliamentary affairs minister Prahlad Joshi participated in this virtual programme.

Karnataka’s deputy chief minister and minister for public works Govind M Karjol, large and medium industries minister Jagadish Shettar and Gen V K Singh, union minister of state for road transport and highways along with legislators from the region participated in the programme.