The total length of National Highways (NHs) constructed in North Eastern Region (NER) during the last ten years is 9,984 km with an expenditure of Rs.1,07,504 crore while 265 nos. of NH projects are under implementation at a cost of Rs.1,18,894 crore with total length of 5,055 km.

Ministry pays special attention to the development of NHs in the NER and 10% of the total budget is earmarked for NER. Several initiatives taken for development of NHs in the NER are as under: -

1. Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for North East (SARDP-NE) with objective of up-gradation of NHs connecting State capitals to 2/4 lane, providing connectivity to District Headquarter towns of NER by at least 2-lane road, providing road connectivity to backward and remote areas of NER to boost socio - economic development, improving roads of strategic importance in border areas and improving connectivity to neighbouring countries. Total length of works sanctioned under SARDP-NE including Arunachal Package in NER is 5,468 km at a cost of Rs.63,542 crore. Out of these, total 3,699 km length has been completed with an expenditure of Rs.38,160 crore.

2. Under NHDP Phase-III, total 110 km length of NHs has been developed in NER.

3. Under Bharatmala Pariyojna, total length of works sanctioned in the NER is 2,767 km with cost of Rs.64,319 crore. Out of these, total length of works completed is 272 km with an expenditure of Rs.5,462 crore.

4. Trans-Arunachal Highway from Tawang to Kanubari with total length 1,077 km at a cost of Rs.11,643 crore were sanctioned. Out of these, total length of works completed is 815 km with an expenditure of Rs.8,708 crore.

5. Frontier Highway has been taken up in Arunachal Pradesh with an objective to provide enhanced connectivity to the border areas serving strategic importance, fostering socio-economic development. Total 41 number of projects have been sanctioned at a cost of Rs.29,562 crore with total 1,498 km length, with funding from Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Ministry of Defence and Central Road & Infrastructure Fund.

This information was given by the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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MJPS/GS