Network Planning Group under PM GatiShaktire commends five road connectivity projects worth Rs 15,683 crore

The Network Planning Group under PM GatiShakti chaired by Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), along with Sumita Dawra, Special Secretary (Logistics), DPIIT, have recommended five projects pertaining to road connectivity at its 51st meeting on Friday. The five projects of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) worth
Rs 15,683 crore are in the states of Mizoram which has 1 project, Maharashtra with 2 projects, Uttarakhand with 1 and Uttar Pradesh with one. These are expected to improve connectivity to industrial clusters and social sector assets, streamline freight traffic movement and decongest cities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan for Multi-modal connectivity on 13 October, 2021 as essentially a digital platform to bring 16 ministries including railways and roadways together for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects. Critical from the perspective of regional connectivity is the greenfield twin tube uni-directional Aizawl Bypass Tunnel of 2.5 km, proposed under Bharatmala Pariyojna-2 which will enhance connectivity between Sittwe port on Kaladan river in Myanmar and North East region. The tunnel will also provide connectivity to economic centres in Sairang, Aizawl, Seling, social sector assets including Zoram Medical College, Mizoram Central University and NIT Aizawl as well as tourist places including Solomon’s Temple Church, Aizawl, Mizoram State Museum, Aizawl.
This project is expected to reduce time taken and bring in efficiency due to an increase in average speed by 50 per cent. Through this tunnel, travel distance and time between Phaibawk and Sairang, is expected to reduce by 39 per cent and 60 per cent, respectively. Two capacity augmentation projects in state of Maharashtra, important from the perspective of connectivity to economic centres, religious and tourist places, industrial clusters and defence assets were evaluated. Both projects – Nashik Phata to Khed alignment and Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Palkhi Marg, which have been planned using NMP portal with focus on key principles of PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, are envisaged to improve connectivity to 10 economic nodes and 12 social nodes, enhance multi-modality with integrated infrastructure development and improved utility network.
Land acquisition and other clearances are being optimised through identification of clearance/approval requirements on NMP portal. The proposed project on construction for mitigation measures of 20 number of landslides, 11 number of sinking zones and 2 bridges in the state of Uttarakhand will ensure all year-round connectivity between various parts of Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, industrial locations such as Karnprayag and Gaucher, helipads located at Gaucher and are critical from disaster management perspective. Greenfield project of construction of 6-lanning bypass/ring roads around Kanpur city under Bharatmala is likely to reduce travel distance and time and fuel consumption. The project will be useful for decongestion of Kanpur City and provide direct connectivity between Lucknow Kanpur Expressway, NH-19 and further towards Chakeri Airport.
Discussion on the Ministry of Steel (MoS) proposal to include slurry pipeline projects within GatiShakti framework and Network Planning Group evaluation process was also held.
The 51st NPG meeting was attended by NPG members from Ministries of Road Transport and Highways, Railways, Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Civil Aviation, Power, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Department of Telecommunication, New and Renewable Energy as well as NITI Aayog, along with representatives from concerned states.
During the NPG meetings held every fortnight under the chairpersonship of Special Secretary (Logistics) DPIIT, project proposals of different Ministries/Depts are evaluated PM GatiShakti principles including intersection with assets of other Ministries / forest/wildlife date layers; suitability of alignment to minimize dislocation of habitation; utilisation of existing government land to the extent possible; comprehensive socio-economic development of the influence area, etc.
The aim is to minimize disruption, explore complementarities, promote optimized and holistic planning for multimodal connectivity, and improve last mile connectivity and logistics efficiency.