The Asian Highway project aims to upgrade road infrastructure in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal
The government on Wednesday approved widening and upgradation of 65 km Imphal-Moreh stretch in Manipur, part of the Asian Highway project, providing road connectivity to eastern nations like Thailand.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, gave the approval for the stretch that will cost Rs 1,630.29 crore, on NH 39.
The project will create 2.67 lakh man days of employment in Manipur and after the completion of four-laning, the travel time will reduce from current three-and-a-half hours to one-and-half hours, minister for roads, highways and shipping Nitin Gadkari said.
"Imphal-Moreh is connecting India to Myanmar. Then we can go to Bangkok and then to Indonesia to Malaysia. It is going to create more employment and business in that area particularly in Manipur. It will be a growth engine for North-East region of the country," he said.
Landlocked Manipur, with almost 90% of the area under difficult terrain, has only road transport as a means of mass transport system.
The project is being developed with ADB's loan assistance under the South Asian Sub-Regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Road Connectivity Investment Program.
It aims at upgradation of road infrastructure in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) in order to improve the regional connectivity among BBIN nations.
The Imphal-Moreh corridor is also a part of the Asian Highway No 1 and acts as India's Gateway to the East.
For fulfilling India's 'Look East Policy' and to promote and enhance trade link with South East Asia, the government has notified an Integrated Custom Post (ICP) at Moreh.
The development of this project is essential in order to support the increased traffic volume due to coming up of ICP. The workers of Manipur who specialise in creating bamboo-and-wood-based handicraft items and uniquely designed hand-woven textile items will get a new market among the Myanmar's customers, according to an official statement.
CCEA also approved four-laning of Solapur-Bijapur section of new NH-52 in Maharashtra and Karnataka. Four-laning of about 110 km road is estimated to cost Rs 1,889 crore including the cost of land acquisition and pre-construction activities. The work on Solapur-Bijapur stretch will create 4.35 lakh man days of employment.
Small scale industries such as those making farm implements and tools, stationery, plastic extrusion items, carpentry units, could also develop markets beyond the border.
THE GATEWAY
- The Asian Highway project aims to upgrade road infrastructure in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal
- The Imphal-Moreh corridor is a part of the Asian Highway No 1 and acts as India’s Gateway to the East
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