Rs 181 cr for 8 bridges under CRIF
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 29: Union Minister of Road, Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari today said the Government has sanctioned Rs 1,170.16 crore for 29 roads projects in the Union Territory of Ladakh, which will give major boost to connectivity.
Besides benefitting local population of Ladakh, the road network will also help defence forces in their movement as they are engaged in standoff with People’s Liberation of Army (PLA) of China along Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh for over three and half years now.
Taking to Social Media post X, Gadkari said Rs 1,170.16 crore have been sanctioned for 29 roads projects, encompassing State Highway and other major roads in the Union Territory.
Additionally, Rs 181.71 crore has been allocated for 8 bridges under the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) scheme for the fiscal year 2023 24, the Road Transport and Highways Minister said.
He said Ladakh, the largest Union Territory in terms of area and the second least populous in the country, will witness improved connectivity to its remote villages through the approved initiatives.
The enhancement in road connectivity is expected to stimulate economic activities, particularly in agriculture and tourism, contributing to the overall infrastructural development of Ladakh, he added.
The CRIF scheme was introduced in Jammu and Kashmir in 2000-01 to develop and maintain National Highways, State roads, rural roads, and Railways under and over bridges, with resources being allocated under the scheme for construction and up- gradation over the years.
In September, the Minister had announced the upgrade and widening of the 230km-long Kargil-Zanskar road in the Union Territory of Ladakh, which forms part of the National Highway 301.
Gadkari recently stated that under the ‘Bharatmala Pariyojana’ a total of Rs 5.35 trillion have been approved for development of 34,800 km of National Highway corridors. As on November 2023, projects of 26,418 km have been awarded and 15,045 km length has been completed.
A total of Rs 4.10 trillion has been spent under Bharatmala Pariyojana up till October.
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