Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Mr. Vishnu Deo Sai met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Mr. Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi on Thursday to review the status of ongoing national highway projects and discuss future infrastructure development plans for the state. The meeting focused on advancing road connectivity in tribal and remote areas, with a vision of inclusive and sustainable growth.
Focus on Chhattisgarh’s Vision 2047
During the meeting, Mr. Sai shared Chhattisgarh’s long-term Vision 2047 strategy, which aims to develop an integrated and environmentally sustainable transport system. A key priority under this vision is enhancing connectivity in rural and border areas to ensure balanced regional development and inclusive growth.
Review of Ongoing Road Projects
The Chief Minister informed Mr. Gadkari about the status of ongoing road projects and reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to completing them on schedule. He underscored the importance of connecting newly formed districts, remote villages, and tribal belts with the mainstream highway network to improve access to economic opportunities and essential services.
Mr. Sai stressed that roads are not just infrastructure for travel—they are fundamental to:
- Generating employment
- Attracting investments
- Driving social and economic transformation
Centre Assures Support for Road Infrastructure
Union Minister Mr. Gadkari appreciated the state’s development priorities and assured full support from the Central Government. He reiterated the Union government’s commitment to improving infrastructure in tribal regions, which he described as a crucial step towards accelerating development and eliminating Left Wing Extremism (LWE).
Special Focus on LWE-Affected Areas
Mr. Gadkari also highlighted the government’s broader efforts under the National Policy and Action Plan to address LWE (2015). The multi-pronged strategy includes security measures, development interventions, and ensuring rights of local communities. Key schemes implemented in LWE-affected regions have prioritized:
- Road expansion
- Telecommunications
- Educational empowerment
- Financial inclusion
So far, more than 11,600 km of roads have been constructed in LWE-affected regions under targeted schemes until 2022. Mr. Gadkari noted that strengthening the road network in these areas, including Chhattisgarh, is central to the Union Government’s aim to eliminate LWE by March 31, 2026.
The meeting marked a step forward in the Centre-State collaboration to improve infrastructure in Chhattisgarh and align development efforts with national security and welfare goals.
