Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai met Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday and discussed various infrastructure projects to enhance connectivity and promote the state's economic growth.


During the meeting, the CM also proposed new national highway projects aimed at making the state's road transport more accessible and convenient besides increasing direct connectivity to tribal areas.


Getting direct connectivity to Ayodhya was also discussed in detail. Thereafter, Union Minister Gadkari directed department officials concerned based on the discussions.


"During the meeting at his residence, he focused on the urgent need to expand the national highway network in the state to connect remote tribal areas with major economic centers," an official statement said.


Apart from CM Sai, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao, Secretary to the Chief Minister P Dayanand, Rahul Bhagat, Chhattisgarh Finance Minister OP Chaudhary, and Public Works Department Secretary Kamalpreet Singh, among other department officials were also present in the meeting. Officials of the Government of India also attended the meeting. 


The Chhattisgarh CM pointed out that the state currently has 20 national highways, spanning a total length of 3575 km. He added that in order to promote the social and economic development of the state, it was imperative to announce the addition of more roads as national highways, besides upgrading and widening the exisitng ones.


CM Sai Requests Approval Of Projects Worth Rs 1383 Cr


He also stated that he has sent proposals for 13 projects worth Rs.1383 crore to the Ministry under the Central Road Fund in the year 2024-25, requesting to get a timely approval.


Deo Sai also proposed two new national highways-- Raigarh-Dharamjaygarh-Mainpat Ambikapur-Uttar Pradesh border and Kawardha-Rajnandgaon-Bhanupratappur-Antagarh-Narayanpur-Gidam-Dantewada-Sukma.


Plans to upgrade the existing infrastructure of highways and the proposal to declare the 11-km bypass road connecting NH-53 to NH-30 as a national highway were also discussed.  


"He mentioned that three national highways 53, 130B and 30 pass through Raipur, in which bypass road connecting NH 53 to NH 30 has been constructed and NH 30 to 130B is a national highway and is proposed in Annual Plan 2024-25. This strategic move is set to transform Raipur city's ring road into a fully integrated national highway," the statement noted.


CM Discusses Need For Constructing Grade Separators


The Chhattisgarh CM also stressed on the need for four-lane widening from Katghora to Ambikapur on NH 130. He also discussed with the Union Minister, the need of constructing grade separators at Udyog Bhawan, Sarona Chowk, and Telibandha Chowk, for safe traffic from Tatibandh to Telibandha on NH 53. Additionally, he has also requested Gadkari to approve grade separators for two junctions of Raipur-Durg NH 53, Sirsa Gate and Khursipar Junction.


Furthermore, he proposed to make a four-lane NH 30 Dhamtari to Jagdalpur and Raipur-Balodabazar-Saranggarh road in NH 130B in National Highway's annual plan of 2024-25, the statement said.


The CM informed Gadkari about Chhattisgarh's upcoming 83rd annual session of the Indian Road Congress (IRC) in Raipur, scheduled to be held from November 8-12 and extended an invitation to him to inaugurate the event.


Following the discussion, the union minister assured the CM all possible cooperation to strengthen Chhattisgarh's road infrastructure.