Latest news with #CoastalHighway
The Print
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
BJD criticises BJP for non-execution of Coastal Highway project
'Non-execution of the coastal highway for a decade and the recent cancellation of the tender, has pushed the future of this project to uncertainty and we demand the state government to take up the matter with the Centre,' Das Burma told reporters. BJD vice-president and former minister Sanjay Das Burma said this at a press conference here following the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) recently cancelling the tender for a patch of road work under the project. Bhubaneswar, May 27 (PTI) Opposition BJD on Tuesday criticised the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre and alleged that non-execution of the ambitious Coastal Highway project is a 'betrayal' by the 'double engine sarkar'. Stating that the foundation stone of the coastal highway project under the Sagarmala project was laid way back in 2015 by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, the BJD leader said the annulment of tender of the proposed coastal highway was nothing but a 'betrayal' by the double-engine BJP governments at the Centre and in Odisha. Das Burma claimed that the detailed project report (DPR) for the coastal highway in Odisha had been changed thrice and repeated cancellation of tender makes the future of the project 'uncertain'. The BJD leader also raised questions on the move to make the coastal highway road two-lane instead of the original plan to construct four-lane road. The tender annulment notice issued by the manager (tech) of NHAI-Odisha circle attributed the cancellation to administrative reasons. 'From the beginning, it was said that the highway to be built under this project would be four-lane and tenders were also called accordingly. However, after the re-evaluation of the project, it has been reported that it will be made two-lane, which is completely unacceptable,' the BJD leader said. The 346 km coastal highway was planned as an alternative and parallel carriageway to the existing NH-16. The project was prepared to connect from Gopalpur in Odisha's Ganjam district to Digha in West Bengal. BJP leaders were not immediately available for comment on the BJD's allegations. PTI AAM AAM RG This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
The Hindu
16-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
NH-66 widening project to be completed in December this year: P.A. Mohamed Riyas
Minister for Public Works P.A. Mohamed Riyas said here on Friday that the widening of the National Highway (NH)-66 stretch from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram into a six-lane facility will be completed in December this year. Mr. Riyas was presiding over the inauguration, held at Manaveeyam Veedhi, of over 50 roads constructed by the Public Works department (PWD) in different districts and the 12 smart roads in Thiruvananthapuram city developed under the Smart City project. Mr. Riyas said that 166 km of the proposed 1,166 km Hill Highway has been completed. 793 km of this project are being funded through the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). Work on 315 km is under way, he said. BM, BC technology Three reaches of the nearly 600-km Coastal Highway project have been completed, Mr. Riyas said. The roads inaugurated on Friday, including the 12 Smart City roads, have been constructed using Bituminous Macadam and Bituminous Concrete (BM and BC) technology, he said. The Left Democratic Front (LDF) government has been able to develop 15,000 km of the PWD roads using this technology in three-and-a-half years, he said. By 2026, 65% of the roads in Kerala will be developed using BM and BC technology, according to Mr. Riyas. 'Link people' Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty formally inaugurated the completed PWD roads and the smart roads. These roads serve to link people and speed up development, Mr. Sivankutty said. The smart roads, developed by the Kerala Road Fund Board, have underground ducts for utilities, tiled footpaths, rebuilt sewerage lines and cycle tracks. They also have special chambers that allow repairs to be carried out without digging up the roads. Ministers G.R. Anil and A.K. Saseendran, Mayor Arya Rajendran, and MLAs Antony Raju, V.K. Prasanth and V. Joy were also present.
The Hindu
14-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
State achieved holistic growth across all sectors: CM
The State has achieved comprehensive and inclusive development across all sectors under the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said. Addressing a district-level meet marking the fourth anniversary of the second LDF government here on Wednesday, the Chief Minister highlighted the transformative progress made since the LDF came to power in the State in 2016. Over the past nine years, the LDF ensured development across every major sector, creating new opportunities and strengthening infrastructure and institutions, he said. Highlighting the State's advancements in information technology, the Chief Minister said that the sector has seen remarkable growth, particularly appealing to the younger generation. 'The number of companies operating within the State's IT parks grew from 640 in 2016 to 1,106 in 2025. Job opportunities in the sector nearly doubled from 78,068 to 1,48,000 during the same period. Software exports saw an equally impressive jump, growing from ₹34,000 crore to ₹90,000 crore.' Knowledge economy Mr. Vijayan said that the State established many prestigious institutions and initiatives, which are models for the entire country. These include country's first Digital Science University, a Digital Science Park, the Kochi Water Metro, and the International Advanced Virology Institute. In addition, the State has launched an International Ayurveda Institute, a Genome Data Centre, a Medical Technology Consortium, Micro Bio-Nutraceuticals and three science parks aimed at positioning Kerala at the forefront of the knowledge economy. He noted that Kerala has emerged as India's most business-friendly State during this period. The government's 'Year of Enterprises' initiative helped facilitate the launch of 3.5 lakh new ventures. The Kochi investment meet led to the signing of investment agreements worth ₹1.5 lakh crore and efforts are under way to realise these commitments. In terms of social development, the Chief Minister said that Kerala has nearly eradicated extreme poverty. The State has constructed over 4.5 lakh houses and distributed more than four lakh land titles. Sectors such as public health, education, and agriculture have made significant strides. Delaying support However, the Chief Minister criticised the Union government for denying crucial support during times of crisis, including the floods of 2018. Despite offers of assistance from several foreign countries, the Union government refused to allow Kerala to accept international aid, he alleged. 'Infrastructure development, particularly roadworks under the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), is progressing rapidly. Major road projects like the Thrissur–Kuttippuram and Kodungallur–Shoranur highways have shown significant advancement. A sum of ₹319 crore has been allocated for land acquisition related to the Coastal Highway project. KIIFB has also sanctioned ₹364.46 crore for infrastructure development in 66 schools.' The Chief Minister outlined numerous projects approved through KIIFB funding, including the Thrissur Zoological Park and its access road, a Translational Research Centre at the Veterinary University, Kurumali bridge construction, and development of public utilities such as crematoriums and water supply schemes in rural areas. He also listed sports infrastructure projects like the I.M. Vijayan Stadium, Chalakudy Indoor Stadium, and support for the Ollur Honey Park. Revenue and Housing Minister K. Rajan presided over the function. Public interaction There was a public interaction session where community representatives from diverse background, including business leaders, academics, artists, and tribal leaders, interacted with the Chief Minister, presenting suggestions and concerns for the State's development. The event also witnessed a poignant moment when Ardra, a young girl whose father underwent a life-saving liver transplant with ₹15 lakh in aid from the government's We Care scheme, presented a hand-drawn portrait of the Chief Minister. Higher Education Minister R. Bindu, Planning Board Vice-Chairperson V.K. Ramachandran, Thrissur Mayor M.K. Varghese, MLAs, District Collector Arjun Pandian, District Information Officer P.K. Velayudhan and others participated in the function.
Express Tribune
14-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
CM reviews progress of ongoing uplift projects
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah presided over a joint meeting of the P&D, Finance, and Works departments at the CM House to review the progress of ongoing development works. The meeting reviewed the progress of the Coastal Highway scheme. The CM mentioned that during his recent visit to Thatta, citizens urged faster progress on the project. The Works Department informed the CM that the 36-kilometre-long highway is in the preliminary phase of groundwork and has been submitted for revision. The project is being jointly funded by the federal and provincial governments on a 50:50 basis. A development scheme worth Rs five billion is underway for the construction of roads in SITE Industrial Estate. So far, Rs500 million has been released, and the process of tenders has been completed. The CM instructed that work be accelerated to ensure completion within the new fiscal year. Under the prime minister's programme, reconstruction of 1,800 schools, damaged by floods, is in progress. These schools are being rebuilt through 50:50 funding from the Sindh and federal governments. A total allocation of Rs12 billion has been made for the project, and tenders have been finalised. The CM directed that funds be released immediately to begin construction. Says case against canals is incontrovertible CM Murad has contended that Sindh's case opposing the construction of six new canals on the Indus River is very strong. He spoke to the media in Sehwan, Jamshoro district, on Monday, on the occasion of his father and ex-CM Sindh Syed Abdullah Shah's death anniversary. "Whoever will listen to our case, they will cancel the project," he claimed, recalling that the Pakistan Peoples Party's Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who is scheduled to address a public meeting in Hyderabad on April 18 on the same issue, has already rejected the project. "PPP's chairman has said he will stand with the public and not with the Prime Minister [Shahbaz Sharif]." Shah firmly stated that the canals will not be built because the PPP and President Asif Ali Zardari have publicly opposed them. Commenting on reported contact between the establishment and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Azam Swati, the CM said he is unaware if Swati really has the party's mandate for any form of negotiations. He claimed that PTI is confronting internecine strife because they are often seen changing statements. Shah said the PTI should rise above its existing political approach and work seriously for the interests of the people and the country.
