Union Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated 18 National Highway projects with a total length of 550 km in Orchha, Madhya Pradesh worth Rs. 6800 crore as the state goes for assembly elections in the next three months.

Speaking on the occasion Mr Gadkari said the two-decade-old demand of the local people to construct a bridge in Betwa has been fulfilled. He said this 665 meter long bridge has been built at a cost of 25 crores. The connectivity of Orchha, Jhansi, Tikamgarh will improve with the construction of 2-lane paved shoulder bridge and footpath.

Sagar Greenfield Link Road will reduce the distance from Bhopal to Kanpur by 21 km. The 4-lane widening till the Madhya Pradesh Uttar Pradesh border will cut down the travel time drastically. Construction of flyovers in Sagar City, Chhatarpur City and Gadhakota will solve the problem of traffic jam, he added.

With the construction of the Bhopal-Kanpur Economic Corridor, the transportation of cement and minerals will be easier and the logistic cost will be reduced. The Minister said with the construction of this corridor, connectivity from Bhopal to Kanpur, Lucknow, Prayagraj, Varanasi will be good, Construction of 2-lane road with paved shoulder from Tikamgarh to Orchha will make traffic safe.

The Minister also announced the construction of a 4-lane Greenfield road of 105 km length from Bamitha to Satna at a cost of Rs 2000 crore. With the construction of this road, tourism of Tikamgarh, Panna, Chhatarpur, Khajuraho, Bandhavgarh National Park will get a boost.