Dehradun: Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday revealed that Centre will spend Rs 2 lakh crore on road infrastructure in Uttarakhand and its roads will be like those in the United States by the end of 2024. 

Addressing the event marking laying of foundation stone for national highway projects worth over Rs 2,000 crore in Tanakpur, Gadkari said, “Rs 1.40 crore is being spent in Uttarakhand over road infrastructure at present to which an additional Rs 60 crore will soon be added to make it a total expenditure of Rs 2 lakh crore.” 

"In the presence of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami I want to announce that by the end of 2024, the national highways in Uttarakhand will be matching international standards. They will be like those in the US," he added.

Gadkari said that there were 2,517 km of national highways in Uttarakhand in 2014 which has now risen to 3,608 km. Meanwhile, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the projects whose foundation stone was laid at Tanakpur on Tuesday were long awaited and thanked Gadkari for his pro-active role in making it possible.

"He is always ready to offer all help for the development of Uttarakhand. We get what we want even before we ask for it," Dhami said. The projects will strengthen connectivity in the Manaskhand region in a big way.