Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 11 national highway projects worth Rs 5,600 crore in Rajasthan’s Pratapgarh district.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who is convalescing after toes fractures, also participated in the event with the live programme from Chief Minister Residence.

Four national highway projects with a total length of 219 km and costing Rs 3,775 crore were inaugurated today in Rajasthan.

“This six-laning project from Kishangarh to Gulabpura section on National Highway 48 will accelerate the economic and social development of Ajmer and Bhilwara districts,” Gadkari told the audience.

He further said the construction of Pratapgarh bypass will reduce the traffic pressure inside the city. With the construction of the road from Ras to Biaora, the vehicles going towards Bhilwara will be facilitated, he added.

He said the six-laning of Gulabpura to Chittorgarh section will strengthen the mutual connectivity of Udaipur, Jaipur and Kota regions of Bhilwara and Chittorgarh districts. The construction of a 4-lane ROB on National Highway 162A at Fatehnagar will solve the problem of traffic jams at railway crossings.

According to the Minister, tribal areas of Dungarpur, Udaipur and Banswara region will get better connectivity. With the construction of bypasses in Sangwara and Garhi, the distance of Dungarpur-Banswara will be reduced by 10 km. Thirteen animal underpasses will be constructed in Todgarh Wildlife Sanctuary on the Beawar-Gomti road for protection of wildlife.

Construction of a high level bridge on Chambal river in Mandrayal under CRIF was inaugurated today. With the construction of this bridge connectivity will be maintained between Mandrayal, Karauli in Rajasthan and Sabalgarh in Madhya Pradesh.

Foundation stone of 7 projects costing Rs 1850 crore and total length of 221 km was also laid today. These projects will provide direct connectivity from the famous religious place Nathdwara to Udaipur airport.

Thirteen animal underpasses will be constructed in Todgarh Wildlife Sanctuary on the Beawar-Gomti road for protection of wildlife .

In Rajasthan, approval of 74 projects under CRF at a cost of 2250 crores was also announced during this program. The work on these projects will start soon, according to a PIB release here.