Work is set to commence on extending the Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway to Bhavnagar in the next three months, as stated by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari. This announcement came during a review meeting with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to assess the progress of various National Highway projects in the state. The meeting, held in Gandhinagar, primarily focused on the status of key highway and expressway initiatives, including aspects like land acquisition, funding, and strategies to expedite infrastructure development.
Gadkari, along with senior officials from both Union and state governments, evaluated the advancements made since a previous meeting with the Gujarat government in November last year. The discussions encompassed several significant projects, such as the six-laning of National Highway-48 between Vadodara and Mumbai, the Samakhiali-Maliya section of the Morbi-Samakhiali road, and various other road expansions and expressway constructions across the state. During the review, Gadkari emphasized the initiation of the Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway extension towards Bhavnagar within the upcoming three months.
The Union minister also encouraged the Gujarat administration to promptly submit proposals to secure financial aid for National Highway projects through the Central Road Infrastructure Fund. He commended Gujarat’s approach to streamlining land acquisition processes for highway projects by temporarily halting non-agricultural permissions while Detailed Project Reports are being prepared. Gadkari lauded this model as a potential blueprint for simplifying land acquisition procedures nationwide during the initial planning stages of road projects.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel highlighted the state’s efficient coordination among various departments, which has facilitated accelerated land acquisition and other necessary procedures for road infrastructure development. Patel further urged Gadkari to expedite the Palanpur-Samakhiali Corridor project. Stressing the importance of environmentally sustainable infrastructure growth, Gadkari advocated for the transplantation of trees affected by road expansion to maintain green cover along the widened roads, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s environmental vision.
