Government approves Rs 5,150-crore road projects in three states

The government on Wednesday approved three highway projects with a total cost of Rs 5,150 crore in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.

"The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs cleared three important highway projects in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra today with the total length of more than 300 km and with an approximate cost of Rs 5,150 crore," an official statement said. All the three projects are to be implemented on BOT (toll) model, with the private sector investing upfront to meet the capital cost, to be recovered through collection of toll during the concession period.

The projects include widening and strengthening of the stretch between Mukarba Chowk and Panipat in Haryana on National Highway 1. "The second project connecting Agra with Etawah on NH 2 will improve the connectivity in an otherwise infrastructure deficient area in Uttar Pradesh," the statement said.

This will help catalyse the economic development of the region, it said. The third project relates to development of 109 km stretch between Solapur and Bijapur in Maharashtra on NH 13 to be developed at a cost of about Rs 1,400 crore.