The Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday opened two state-of-the-art six-lane flyovers — one in Lakhni (3.50 km long) and another in Sakoli (2.94km), constructed at a cost of Rs 582 crore. This will ease traffic congestion on NH-53 (old NH-6) between Nagpur and Raipur.
Light and heavy vehicles going towards Raipur will now get rid of traffic congestion near busy Lakhni and Sakoli towns in Bhandara district. “This would not only save fuel but also time. Besides, it will also eliminate the risk of road accidents. The two flyovers will also reduce travel time for tourists visiting Nagzira and Navegaon,” said Gadkari.
Gadkari was in Gondia and Bhandara districts to inaugurate multiple road-widening projects of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). The Lakhni flyover has been named after social worker late Shyamrao Bapu Kapgate. “The two flyovers have also fulfilled the need for a bypass to the two cities,” he added.
The Union Minister also announced a series of projects in Gondia. One of the major decisions included a dry port in the district to export additional rice produce. Gadkari also inaugurated road and flyover projects worth Rs 350 crore in the district.
NCP’s senior leader Praful Patel said the state government is ready to give land in MIDC for the dry port, a necessity for the district. Major among the several infrastructure works announced by Gadkari included construction of Deori-Amgaon-Gondia highway, a flyover on Gondia-Balaghat railway crossing, and a flyover on Tiroda-Gondia road.
Gadkari also announced plans to have a Metro train between Nagpur and Gondia and Gondia-Chandrapur. “This will be a ring metro which will cover the distance towards each side in one hour,” he said. Gondia-Bhandara MP Sunil Mendhe demanded direct flights to Pune and Mumbai from Gondia’s Birsi airport.
Earlier on Saturday, Gadkari dedicated 20 ‘Amrit Sarovars’ in Akola. The cumulative water storage capacity of these reservoirs is 1,276 TCM.