Nitin Gadkari inaugurates Jowai- Ratacherra Section of NH-06

September 25, 2018: The Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the rehabilitation and up-gradation of existing road to 2-lane with paved shoulders configuration in Jowai-Ratacherra (Meghalaya Assam border) section of the National Highway- 06 at Shillong recently. The 102 kilometre long road was constructed at a cost of Rs 683 crore by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).

Speaking on the occasion, Gadkari said the government intends to give highest priority to infrastructure development in North East, especially in road sector. In addition, the other two important sectors are industry and agriculture. The union minister also asserted that there are various big projects for the NE states and further urged the National Highway and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) to make small packages and give more contracts to the people from the area so as to provide employment opportunities. We have project involvement of Rs 1.50 lakh crore in the NE, he said.

The Gadkari added that the 102 kilometre long stretch of road is very important for the development of industries in Meghalaya as it passes through cement and coal belts of the state. With the travel time reduced from 4 hours to 2.5 hours, now trucks and heavy vehicles coming from Brahmaputra Valley can move smoothly in a record time frame to Silchar in Barak Valley, within Assam and thus providing connectivity to other NE states like Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and southern Assam.

Meanwhile, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said that the particular area where this road goes through is highly economically active zone, where there are more than ten cement plants, different resources like limestone and coal, agricultural products like turmeric and other products etc. He also stated that the Shillong-Nongstoin-Rongjeng-Tura Road has improved connectivity and further economic growth of that region.

Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb, Arunachal Pradesh deputy chief minister Chowna Mein and other officials were also present at the inaugural function.

A two-day review meeting of every ongoing national highway project in the North Eastern States with chief ministers, central and state officials and contractors began after the inauguration by the union minister.