Latest news with #Highways
Hans India
9 hours ago
- Business
- Hans India
With 70 visits, PM Modi has been in Northeast more times than all other PMs combined: Jyotiraditya Scindia
New Delhi: Union Communications and Development of Northeastern Region (DoNER) Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that the PM has visited northeast India 70 times, which is a record in itself. He said that if you total all the visits of all Prime Ministers in the last 65 years, even they could not match the number of visits PM Modi has made. Along with that, an investment of Rs 5 lakh crore has been made in the northeastern region. In an exclusive interview with IANS, Jyotiraditya Scindia spoke on several topics, from his predictions for the Bihar polls to BSNL's return to profit. Below is the full interview: IANS: The previous government didn't focus on northeast India. But PM Modi called northeast India 'Ashta Lakshmi'. What do you want to say about it? Jyotiraditya Scindia: For this, we have to look at the history and past of India. The northeastern region used to connect the world with the Global South as a bridge. All the ASEAN countries' trade routes, migration routes—everything was based on the northeastern region. Our northeastern region was a connector, and if its potential had been described to the world, it would have been commendable. But in the last 65 years, this region was gradually sidelined and blocked from development and progress. Changing that concept, the Prime Minister used all his power for the development and progress of the northeastern region. This was the voice of his conscience. He has visited the northeastern region about 70 times on his own, which is a record in itself. If you total all the visits of all Prime Ministers in the last 65 years, even they could not match his number of visits. Along with that, an investment of Rs 5 lakh crore has been made in the northeastern region. In infrastructure—whether it is roads, rail, or air service (my former ministry)—where there were only nine airports in 2014, today, 17 airports have been built. In states like Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, there wasn't even a single airport before. Today, there are four airports in Arunachal and one in Sikkim. In roads, there were 10,000 kilometres of National Highways before; today there are 16,000 kilometres. That means in ten years, we built almost as much as in the previous 65 years. In rural areas, 40,000 kilometres of roads have been built using Rs 50,000 crore. It's the same with railways: nearly 2,000 kilometres of railway lines are being constructed with an investment of Rs 80,000 crore. We are committed to providing rail services in all eight states. Today, rail service is available in five states; we will provide it in the remaining three by 2027. Today, the longest road bridge in the country—the 4.5-km Bhupen Hazarika Bridge—has been built, and the world's longest road-cum-rail bridge—the 9.5-km Bogibeel Bridge—has been completed. This is a record we couldn't even imagine. Similarly, in the social sector—in health, education, and every other area—the goal has been to make the eight northeastern states the growth engine of the country. If we look at the world's economic growth rate today, it's about 2.5 per cent. India is growing at 7 to 7.5 per cent—more than three times the world's rate. But if we look at the eight states of the northeast, all eight have been growing at 11 to 13 per cent over the last ten years. That means the northeastern region is growing at almost 3.5 to 4 times the world average, and more than twice India's average. So, if you think of all India's states and Union Territories as a train, then the engine of that train has definitely become the northeastern region. IANS: What do you want to say about the slogan 'Narendra Surrender' used by LoP Rahul Gandhi? Jyotiraditya Scindia: What else is left for a political party to say, one that has been rejected by the people of the country? The nation's honour and respect should always be the priority. But today, the Congress has fallen into such a deep pit that it shows India in a bad light internationally, comes back to India, and raises questions about our armed forces, our identity, our faith, and our pride. When surgical strikes or the Balakot operation happen, they say to show the proof. When Operation Sindoor happens, they question how many planes were shot down. It has become clear that the people of India don't care about a party or a leadership that doesn't care about India's pride. IANS: What is your prediction for the Bihar polls? Jyotiraditya Scindia: We are fully confident about Bihar. The NDA coalition government will be formed. BJP and all its alliance partners will fight together. Service to Bihar, development of Bihar, and progress of Bihar are our priorities. The Prime Minister has shown over the past 10–11 years that development and progress are our focus. Change is the call of India, and the Prime Minister has brought the same change across the entire region—economically, socially, in every field—and is taking India's flag to the world stage. IANS: The digital revolution has completed a decade. PM Modi wrote an article on it. How do you see this as an accomplishment? Jyotiraditya Scindia: I want to explain that this revolutionary change hasn't just happened in India but in the world. There was a time, about 100 years ago, when the Industrial Revolution happened. Roads and railways were built, and that infrastructure laid the foundation for industrial growth. In this century, in this era, Information Technology and the Digital Revolution are the equivalent of road and railway construction. The difference is that those roads and railways were visible to everyone—they were physical, permanent. But this digital highway is invisible. Yet despite being invisible, its ability to transform ordinary lives is extraordinary. As a citizen of this country, I want to thank and congratulate the Prime Minister. Ten years ago, he not only predicted this revolutionary change but also created a complete strategy for how India would lead the world as a new power in this digital revolution. Let me share some numbers. A country that had only 90 crore mobile users now has 120 crore. A country that had only 25 crore internet connections now has almost 100 crore. A country with just 6 crore broadband connections (defined as over 2 GB) now has 94 crore. This is not an ordinary change—it is earth-shattering. And what has this change enabled? This is not just a telecommunications revolution. Because the whole world is now in your hands, in this box (your phone). You are connected to the world, and the world is connected to you. What is the spin-off of this? Economic progress. The money the government owes you can be sent to you directly in this box. Whatever business you want to do, you can do it with the whole world. The whole world can know you. On this basis, India has set new records in UPI and DBT. Today, 46 per cent of the world's digital transactions happen in India. Nearly 1.7 billion transactions occur in India every year, worth about three trillion dollars. India is not a follower. India is the leader in digital transactions. If anyone deserves credit for building this digital highway, connecting everyone, and enabling UPI and DBT, it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi. And look at the cost. Ten years ago, data cost Rs 290 per GB. Today, it is around Rs 9.5 per GB—a 95 per cent drop. Globally, the average data rate is about $2.50 per GB. India's rate is five per cent of that. So India can become the world's data bank and data leader on the basis of this capability. IANS: BSNL recently announced a profit. How did that happen? Jyotiraditya Scindia: The UPA government had left BSNL on critical support - not even ventilator support. The Prime Minister resolved that we would fully redeploy BSNL in the service of the people and make it beloved once again. Several economic packages were announced, including Rs 3 lakh crore for BSNL. All the economic and strategic steps were taken. On the basis of tireless efforts over the last 12–15 months—and I give full credit to every member of the BSNL family, from linesmen in villages to the headquarters team—they have worked with total dedication and commitment. For the first time in 18 years, in the October–December 2024 quarter, BSNL posted a net profit of Rs 262 crore. In the January–March 2025 quarter, it posted Rs 280 crore in net profit. This wasn't possible in the last 18 years. For FY 2025, BSNL reported 8 per cent revenue growth, from Rs 20,000 crore to nearly Rs 21,900 crore. Operating profit jumped from Rs 2,346 crore last year to Rs 5,300 crore this year—a 150 per cent increase. The net loss, which was Rs 5,170 crore last year, has been reduced by 55 per cent to Rs 2,100 crore. And last year, BSNL achieved the highest CAPEX in its history - Rs 25,000 crore. For the first time ever, India has created its own military-grade stack for full 4G implementation. 95,000 sites have been installed, nearly 90,000 commissioned, and 74–75,000 are live on air. Our 4G network is fully ready with a self-reliant solution. We are adopting a similar approach in India Post. We've been working on complete business process reengineering for the last 12 months. We have created six verticals and four horizontals to make each business line profitable. We're adopting IT through the IT 2.0 plan. For the first time, we've appointed a Chief Technology Officer in the postal department, along with Deputy CTOs for each vertical. We're looking at our cost structure, comparing it with the competition, and figuring out how to increase revenue. By rationalising, automating, and focusing on each vertical, we're preparing India Post to become a logistics powerhouse. No distribution platform in the world has as many points of presence as India Post—1,84,000. We want to convert this into a logistics giant in the coming days.
Mint
2 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Tamil Nadu NH-87 expansion: Cabinet approves 4-lane highway to connect Paramakudi and Ramanathapuram — Key details
Tamil Nadu: The Union Cabinet has approved the construction of a four-lane highway along the Paramakudi - Ramanathapuram Section of National Highway-87 (NH-87) in Tamil Nadu. The project — with a total capital outlay of ₹ 1,853.16 crore — was approved on Tuesday, July 1. Currently, connectivity between Madurai, Paramakudi, Ramanathapuram, Mandapam, Rameshwaram, and Dhanushkodi relies on a two-lane stretch of NH-87 and associated State Highways, which experience significant traffic congestion. To ease congestion and improve safety, the government will upgrade the 46.7 km stretch of NH-87 from Paramakudi to Ramanathapuram into a four-lane highway, as per the official statement. The proposed highway will link five major National Highways — NH-38, NH-85, NH-36, NH-536, and NH-32 — as well as three State Highways — SH-47, SH-29, and SH-34. The expansion will also improve multi-modal connectivity by linking to : 1) Madurai and Rameshwaram railway stations, 2) Madurai Airport, 3) minor ports at Pamban and Rameshwaram. Map of the extension The project will be developed on Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM), Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while briefing on the decisions taken at the Cabinet meeting. The expansion will also generate approximate 8.4 lakh person-days of direct and 10.45 lakh person-days of indirect employment The government also expects the corridor to strengthen regional connectivity, boost tourism to Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi, and facilitate trade and industrial development in southern Tamil Nadu. The project is also expected to open new avenues of growth, development and prosperity in surrounding regions, as per the official statement. Given the high volume of vehicles, the existing two-lane stretch of NH-87 often sees frequent accidents and traffic jams. Upgrading that particular stretch of the national highway to a four-lane highway had been a long-standing demand from various stakeholders in Ramanathapuram, as per multiple reports. Consequently in November 2024, NHAI launched projects to upgrade the existing two-lane road from Paramakudi to Ramanathapuram into four-lane roads.
Hans India
2 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
Cabinet approves Rs 1,853 crore project to build 4-lane Paramakudi-Ramanathapuram highway in Tamil Nadu
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved the construction of the 4-lane Paramakudi-Ramanathapuram section stretching across 46.7 km in Tamil Nadu, at a total capital cost of Rs 1,853 crore. Currently, connectivity between Madurai, Paramakudi, Ramanathapuram, Mandapam, Rameshwaram, and Dhanushkodi is dependent on the existing 2-lane National Highway 87 (NH-87) and associated State Highways, which experience significant congestion due to high traffic volumes, especially in densely populated stretches and key towns along the corridor. To address these challenges, the project will upgrade 46.7 km of NH-87 from Paramakudi to Ramanathapuram to a 4-lane configuration. This will decongest the existing corridor, improve safety, and cater to the mobility needs of rapidly growing towns such as Paramakudi, Sathirakudi, Achundanvayal and Ramanathapuram, according to the official statement issued after the meeting. The project alignment integrates with 5 major National Highways (NH-38, NH-85, NH-36, NH-536, and NH-32) and 3 State Highways (SH-47, SH-29, SH-34), providing seamless connectivity to key economic, social, and logistics nodes across southern Tamil Nadu, the statement explained. Additionally, the upgraded corridor will enhance multi-modal integration by connecting with two major railway stations (Madurai and Rameshwaram), one airport (Madurai), and two minor ports (Pamban and Rameshwaram), thereby facilitating faster movement of goods and passengers across the region. Upon completion, the Paramakudi-Ramanathapuram section will play a pivotal role in regional economic growth, strengthening connectivity between major religious and economic centres, boosting tourism to Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi, and opening new avenues for trade and industrial development. The project will also generate approximately 8.4 lakh person-days of direct and 10.45 lakh person-days of indirect employment, and will open new avenues of growth, development and prosperity in surrounding regions, according to the statement. The project will be implemented under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM). The salient features of the model include that the project concessionaire shall be selected through an open, transparent, and competitive bid mechanism. Support of 40 per cent of the Bid Project Cost will be payable to the concessionaire by the National Highway Authority in five equal instalments linked to project completion milestones. The concessionaire will have to initially bear the balance 60 per cent of the project cost through a combination of equity and debt and construct the project highway.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
NH-87 expansion: Cabinet approves Rs 1,853 crore 4-lane highway, to connect Paramakudi and Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu
Corridor map (Credit- MoRTH) NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet has approved the construction of a 4-lane highway along the 46.7-km Paramakudi–Ramanathapuram section of National Highway-87 (NH-87) in Tamil Nadu, with a total capital outlay of Rs 1,853.16 crore, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said in a press release on Monday. The project will be implemented under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) and is aimed at addressing growing traffic congestion and safety concerns between Madurai and Dhanushkodi, a corridor currently dependent on an overburdened 2-lane highway and associated state roads. Once completed, the upgrade will cater to the mobility needs of towns such as Paramakudi, Sathirakudi, Achundanvayal and Ramanathapuram, the ministry said. The proposed highway will connect five major National Highways — NH-38, NH-85, NH-36, NH-536, and NH-32 — as well as three State Highways — SH-47, SH-29, and SH-34. It will also enhance multi-modal connectivity by linking to Madurai and Rameshwaram railway stations, Madurai Airport, and the minor ports at Pamban and Rameshwaram. The government expects the corridor to strengthen regional connectivity, boost tourism to Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi, and facilitate trade and industrial development in southern Tamil Nadu. It will also generate around 8.4 lakh person-days of direct and 10.45 lakh person-days of indirect employment, according to the project note. According to official estimates, the civil construction cost is pegged at Rs 997.63 crore, while land acquisition is expected to cost Rs 340.94 crore. The corridor had an estimated Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) for FY25, the ministry release stated. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
South Wales Argus
3 days ago
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Newport property gets new lease of life as social club
The site, at 119-121 Chepstow Road, Victoria Ward, Newport, will see its ground floor converted from its previous retail/community use to a club featuring seating, a bar, and the sale of coffee, snacks, and alcohol. The application was approved with conditions on May 28, and will operate on restricted hours of 8am to 11pm Monday to Thursday, 8am to midnight Saturday and 10am to 11pm on Sunday and Bank Holidays. The property's location is notable, situated in Maindee District Centre, and it falls within a Flood Zone 3 (defended) and an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA). The premises have a varied history of use, having been an estate agent from 2008 to 2015, a bridal shop and estate agent post-2015, a Kurdish community centre, and most recently, a retail unit. The surrounding area comprises a mix of commercial properties, including a restaurant, barbershop, and nail salon, with some residential properties located at the rear on Duckpool Road. The proposal was assessed against several planning policies, including the Future Wales – National Plan 2040, Planning Policy Wales Edition 12 (2024), and the Newport Local Development Plan (2011–2026), among others. The assessment highlighted that the club's presence is in keeping with a district centre location and does not undermine retail functionality. Parking and accessibility requirements, which necessitate one commercial space and eight car spaces based on the club's size, were considered. However, due to the premises' existing community centre designation and the proximity of public transport and pay/display parking, these concerns were mitigated. The club will be subject to several conditions to minimise its impact on the surrounding area. These include restrictions on the use of the rear external area to protect the residences on Duckpool Road and limitations on opening hours. The club will only be allowed to open from 8am to 11pm from Monday to Thursday, 8am to midnight on Saturdays, and 10am to 11pm on Sundays and bank holidays. Any cooking of hot food will also require prior approval for extraction systems. Five objections were raised in response to the proposal, primarily concerning potential alcohol-related anti-social behaviour, gambling concerns, and parking issues. However, authorities, including Gwent Police, Highways, Natural Resources Wales, and Waste services, raised no objections. The police also had no concerns about potential anti-social behaviour. The proposal was ultimately deemed to align with planning policies, particularly given its location within a district centre, sustainable transport access, and the absence of significant harm to amenity or infrastructure.
