Bihar: Union minister Nitin Gadkari launches projects worth Rs 3,411 crore in 3 districts

BAGAHA/MOTIHARI/PATNA: Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for national highways and waterways projects worth more than Rs 3,411 crore in Bihar.
The minister inaugurated and laid the foundation for projects worth Rs 366.62 crore at Bagaha in West Champaran district. The projects include opening traffic on 24km-long stretch of Misrauli-Parsauni section of NH 28 B.He laid the foundation for approach roads of road overbridges (RoBs) on NH 28B at Bagaha and Mangalpur worth Rs62.48 crore and Rs68.49 crore respectively.
Gadkari also laid the foundation for widening of the 37km-long Manuwapul to Yogpatti-Nawalpur-Ratwal Chowk road, which will cost Rs128.90 crore. He also laid the foundation for National Waterway-37 (river Gandak) from its confluence with river Ganga at Hajipur to Triveni Ghat (Bhaisalotan barrage in Valmikinagar). The 300km-long stretch in the Gandak will be developed at a cost of Rs12.91 crore.
Speaking on the occasion, Gadkari expressed concern over sugar cane industries in West Champaran. “Despite it being a sugar cane producing region, farmers as well as sugar mills are in distress because of low prices of sugar. The central government has decided to enhance the sugar price from Rs30 to Rs34/kg and to develop ethanol-based sugar factories to alleviate the condition of the factories as well as the farmers,” Gadkari said, adding he has requested automobile majors in the country to manufacture ethanol-based vehicle.
Gadkari also laid the foundation for projects worth Rs2,540 crore on the concluding day of ‘Kisan Kumbh’ at Motihari Gandhi Maidan in East Champaran district. The projects include widening of 83.24km-long Siwan-Mashrakh-Rajapatti-Kesariya- Chakiya section of Ram Janaki Marg (NH-227A) with an estimated outlay of Rs1,285 crore. four-laning of 81.11km-long Manikpur-Sahebganj-Kesariya-Areraj section of NH-74 at the cost of Rs1,254 crore and reconstruction of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue and three gantry gates on NH-28 and 28A in East Champaran with an estimated outlay of Rs93.91 lakh.
In another event at Raxaul, Gadkari inaugurated and laid the foundation for projects worth Rs505 crore. The projects include widening of 40km-long Chapwa to Misrauli section of NH-28B with an estimated outlay of Rs171.40crore. He also laid the foundation for widening of the 69km-long link road and Piprakothi-Motihari-Raxaul section of NH-28A at a cost of Rs33333.60 crore.
Gadkari, who is also the union minister of river development and Ganga rejuvenation, said the government has earmarked Rs26 crore for effective check on pollution besides the conservation and rejuvenation of river Ganga.