66th NPG meeting assesses five infrastructure projects under PM GatiShakti

New Delhi [India], March 1 : The 66th meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG) convened on February 27, under the chairpersonship of Additional Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Rajeev Singh Thakur, in a significant stride towards enhancing India's infrastructure landscape.
According to a press release by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the meeting, held in New Delhi, evaluated three projects from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and two projects from the Ministry of Railways (MoR), with a focus on integrated planning and regional socio-economic upliftment.
The deliberations of the meeting shed light on key infrastructure initiatives aimed at bolstering connectivity and driving economic growth across various regions of the country.
The projects assessed by the NPG spanned crucial areas such as roadway enhancements and railway expansions, each designed to address specific transportation challenges and facilitate smoother movement of goods and people, read the press release.
The first project under scrutiny pertained to the upgradation of NH 216H in Andhra Pradesh, a Brownfield project aimed at enhancing connectivity between Pedana and Laxmipuram over a stretch of approximately 120.85 kilometers.
Similarly, the second project focused on constructing a bypass around Indore city, covering a distance of 141 kilometers through Dhar, Indore, and Dewas districts of Madhya Pradesh, read the press release.
Additionally, a ring road of around 64 kilometers around Guwahati city was discussed, which includes an elevated structure at Jorabat and a new bridge across Brahmaputra.
Among the railway projects, special attention was given to a New Broad Gauge (BG) line project spanning 309 kilometers across Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
This Greenfield initiative aims to connect existing rail head stations of Manmad and Dr. Ambedkar Nagar (Mhow), facilitating improved connectivity and socio-economic growth in the region, read the press release.
Another project, the Phaphamau-Unchahar doubling project in Uttar Pradesh, covering 72.27 kilometers, aims to enhance connectivity, reduce travel time, and boost operating efficiency.
The meeting witnessed the participation of NPG members heading the network planning wing of respective infrastructure ministries, along with officials from infrastructure ministries and representatives from states where projects would be implemented.
Discussions were centered around integrated planning principles based on the PM GatiShakti framework and area development approach, with a focus on improving connectivity and fostering multi-modal infrastructure.
Key outcomes of the evaluation exercise emphasized the critical role of these projects in nation-building, highlighting their potential to integrate diverse modes of transportation, provide socio-economic benefits, and contribute to comprehensive regional development, read the press release.
The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment to advancing these infrastructure projects in line with the overarching goal of enhancing India's connectivity and driving inclusive growth across the country.