Budget 2021: Road Infrastructure In Poll-Bound States Finds Front Seat In FM's Big-Ticket Announcements

Budget 2021: Finance Minister announced several measures to augment the road infrastructure and in tune with the same an enhanced outlay of Rs 1,18,101 crore has been provided for the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways, of which Rs 1,08,230 crore is for capital, the highest ever.

The four-poll bound states of Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal found special mention as Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for 2021-22 in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

The Finance Minister announced several measures to augment the road infrastructure and in tune with the same an enhanced outlay of  Rs 1,18,101 crore has been provided for the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways, of which Rs 1,08,230 crore is for capital, the highest ever. 

Sitharaman said more economic corridors are also being planned to further augment the road infrastructure.

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She announced 3,500 km of National Highway works in Tamil Nadu, including the Madurai-Kollam corridor, Chittoor-Thatchur corridor, at an investment of Rs 1.03 lakh crore. Construction will start next year. The announcement assumes significance as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has joined hands with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) for the upcoming state assembly polls.

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West Bengal too found special mention in the budget. This as the BJP is leaving no stones unturned to trounce Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the assembly polls due in April-May. In tune with the same, Sitharaman announced 675 km of highway works in West Bengal, including up-gradation of the existing Kolkata – Siliguri road, at a cost of Rs 25,000 crore.

Assam where the BJP is in power also gained from the budget as the saffron party looks to increase in tally in the 2021 assembly polls. Stating the National Highway works of around Rs 19,000 crore are currently in progress in Assam, Sitharaman said further works of more than Rs 34,000 crore, covering more than 1300 kms of National Highways, will be undertaken in the state in the coming three years.

The Finance Minister also announced 1,100 km of National Highway works in Kerala, including 600 km section of Mumbai-Kanyakumari corridor, at an investment of Rs 65,000 crore. Extremely confident after a splendid performance in the local body polls in Kerala, the BJP is looking to make inroads in the state and the announcement may be a step ahead in this regard.