India has approved an ambitious US$1.04 billion project for constructing and upgrading 558km of roads to link it with Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal.
India's Department of Economic Affairs has agreed to the project that will have 50% funding from the Asian Development Bank.
A report by India’s independent newswire agency IANS noted that the work will be done within two years.
"We have taken up five highway stretches in the country, which are very important for such a connectivity to succeed. This project is entirely different and new and about to be rolled out," said Leena Nandan, Joint Secretary for India’s Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
The project includes, among others, an upgrade of the 122km Siliguri-Mirik-Darjeeling ($15 million) and the widening of the 60km National Highway 35 (Kolkata-Bangaon) on the border with Bangladesh ($130 million).
It also includes a new 123km road to connect with Diamond harbour on the outskirts of Kolkata at a cost of $250 million.
Apart from the road works under the $1 billion project, a 600m bridge and a 110km road in the Impal-Moreh stretch of Manipur are also being planned.
"This bridge will connect Kakarbhitta in Nepal with Panitanki in West Bengal. Once we receive the necessary approvals, we would like to bid for the projects as early as possible, say by November-end," said Anand Kumar, managing director of India’s National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corp.
Meanwhile, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Agency received requests for qualification (RFQ) from 26 companies and consortia for the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) project.
India's Department of Economic Affairs has agreed to the project that will have 50% funding from the Asian Development Bank.
A report by India’s independent newswire agency IANS noted that the work will be done within two years.
"We have taken up five highway stretches in the country, which are very important for such a connectivity to succeed. This project is entirely different and new and about to be rolled out," said Leena Nandan, Joint Secretary for India’s Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
The project includes, among others, an upgrade of the 122km Siliguri-Mirik-Darjeeling ($15 million) and the widening of the 60km National Highway 35 (Kolkata-Bangaon) on the border with Bangladesh ($130 million).
It also includes a new 123km road to connect with Diamond harbour on the outskirts of Kolkata at a cost of $250 million.
Apart from the road works under the $1 billion project, a 600m bridge and a 110km road in the Impal-Moreh stretch of Manipur are also being planned.
"This bridge will connect Kakarbhitta in Nepal with Panitanki in West Bengal. Once we receive the necessary approvals, we would like to bid for the projects as early as possible, say by November-end," said Anand Kumar, managing director of India’s National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corp.
Meanwhile, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Agency received requests for qualification (RFQ) from 26 companies and consortia for the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) project.
