Centre agrees for building 22 green highways in Karnataka

BANGALORE: While speaking at the inaugural session of the 10^th edition of Excon-2019, Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways, announced that his Ministry has given the nod for 22 green highways in Karnataka. The projects will cost Rs 1.5 lakh cumulatively. A new alignment of the Pune-Bengaluru Express Highway is also included in the list of highways that are being developed, which will be completed in the next few years at a cost of Rs 50,000 crore.

Excon-2019 is a five-day international construction equipment and construction technology trade fair and is organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry in association with the Government of Karnatka, Ministry for Road Transport and Highways and the National Highway Authority of India.

“We are making 22 green express highways. Today we cleared the Pune-Bengaluru project as a Green Express Highway, a new alignment of 600 km, costing about Rs 50,000 crore.” Gadkari said, adding his ministry and the state have sanctioned 2,300 km of new roads where the detailed project report is ready.

He further added that Yediyurappa has given the assurance that any hassles related to land acquisition and environment clearance will be cleared for these projects on priority basis.

During his speech, Gadkari also announced that the Centre has agreed to bear 80 per cent of the land acquisition cost of the ring road project in Bengaluru. In return, MoRTH expects the state government to exempt taxes on steel and cement to be used for building the ring road.