Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 38 national highway projects worth Rs 6,972 crore for Uttarakhand at two separate events held in Tanakpur and Haridwar. In Tanakpur, he laid the foundation stone of eight national highway projects worth Rs 2,217 crore. Speaking on the occasion, he said that widening of Kathgodam to Nainital road with two-lane metalled roads will improve connectivity to Nainital-Manaskhand temples. Widening of Kashipur to Ramnagar road to four lanes will make it easier for tourists to reach Corbett National Park and Manaskhand temples.
Widening of Kangarchina to Almora road to two lanes will not only increase the number of tourists visiting Bageshwar but will also save their time. Two-lane widening and rehabilitation of Kanda Marg from Udiyari turn on National Highway 309A will ease access to Bagnath and Baijnath temples in Bageshwar. Also, the difficult journey from Bageshwar to Pithoragarh will be better, safer and time saving. He said that repair work of two bridges on Saryu and Gomti rivers in Bageshwar district is also being done at a cost of Rs 5 crore. These projects will not only benefit the tourists but will also make transportation easier for the local people.
These projects will not only ease transportation but also provide better connectivity from Rishikesh to the India-China border area. The flyover will provide relief from traffic jams in the pilgrimage city of Haridwar and will make it easier to reach other religious places. He said that with the construction of 28 projects whose foundation stone was laid on Tuesday, Uttarakhand will achieve a faster pace of development. He said that the travel of devotees on Char Dham routes will be easier and Uttarakhand's connectivity with other states will increase, which will give impetus to economic and social development.