Gadkari unveils key projects in state; vows ₹2L cr infra push

Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari underlined the importance of good roads during the inauguration of a 23-km four-lane highway from Shankha to Khajoori, built at a cost of ₹1,130 crore, and the laying of the foundation stone for a ₹1,330-crore project for four-laning a 32-km stretch of NH-39 from the Chhattisgarh-Jharkhand interstate boundary to Gumla, in Garhwa on Thursday.

- Raj Kumar

“American roads are not good because America is rich; America is rich because American roads are good,” Gadkari quoted the 35th US President John F Kennedy, saying that he has put this quote in his office and draws inspiration from it.

He explained that good roads improve transportation, thus paving the path for development and employment generation. “If development takes place in the fields of water, power, transport, and communication, then industry, trade, and business will grow, which will help give jobs to youths,” he said.

The Union transport minister also suggested addressing the water crisis in Jharkhand. He said his state (Maharashtra), where over 10,000 farmers died by suicide, has developed thousands of ponds to boost the agricultural sector and can do the same for Jharkhand if given the opportunity.