Madurai-Kollam ICR corridor among 18 key road projects evaluated under PM Gati Shakti
New Delhi: The 78th meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG) under the PM Gati Shakti initiative focused on assessing 18 significant road infrastructure projects, including a key project linking Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The meeting, chaired by Rajeev Singh Thakur, Additional Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), took place in New Delhi on Friday.
The evaluation centered on several crucial road projects proposed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). These projects, spanning multiple states, are in line with the integrated planning principles outlined in the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (NMP).
The meeting reviewed a major project involving the Madurai-Kollam ICR corridor. This 4-lane corridor, which extends 129.92 km—68.30 km in Tamil Nadu and 61.62 km in Kerala—aims to enhance connectivity between major economic hubs and reduce travel distance by 10 km, effectively doubling the average speed and boosting freight movement.
Additionally, the meeting evaluated the Madurai-Dhanushkodi Highway, a 46.67 km 4-lane stretch designed to improve access to key religious and tourist destinations, as well as the Chennai-Mahabalipuram-Pondicherry Corridor and the Thoppur Ghat Section.
Other projects reviewed include the Belagavi Ring Road (NH848R), Tumkur Bypass, Bhopal-Sagar Economic Corridor, and the Western Bypass of Gwalior City, with significant interest in their intermodal connectivity and last-mile connectivity aspects that benefit Kerala.
The meeting also covered road projects in Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Bihar, such as the Ahmednagar-Solapur Corridor, Talegaon-Chakan-Shikrapur Corridor, and the Badvel-Nellore Corridor.
These initiatives are expected to alleviate congestion, enhance urban mobility, and support regional industries and tourism, playing a pivotal role in the integrated development of multimodal infrastructure across the nation. (ANI)