In the ports sector, approval was recently granted to a major project at Vadhavan, Maharashtra, to be constructed at an estimated cost of₹76,200 crore. Once complete, it will be one of the world’s top 10 ports and is expected to give a push to infrastructure in the country.
Further, central assistance of ₹49,000 crore was approved under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana – IV (PMGSY-IV) for construction of 62,500 km of roads connecting 25,000 habitations and construction or upgradation of bridges on the new connectivity roads. The government also approved eight national high-speed road corridor projects, spanning 936 km, at an estimated cost of ₹50,600 crore.
The PM also laid the foundation stone of Shinkhun La Tunnel, connecting Ladakh with Himachal Pradesh, which is expected to boost all-weather connectivity in difficult terrain.Also, eight new railway line projects were approved in the first 100 days to make railway journeys faster, smoother and more convenient. The government estimates that the new railway lines will also create direct and indirect jobs of 4.42 crore mandays.
With focus on enhancing airport infrastructure, the government recently approved the development of Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi, along with new civil enclaves at Bagdogra airport in West Bengal and Bihta in Bihar.