The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated a total of 10 National Highway projects located in Solapur, Maharashtra. The National Highway projects accounting for as much as 292 km cost Rs 8,181 crore. While speaking at the event, Nitin Gadkari said that the NH projects, have the potential to bring the district of Solapur along with its environs into the mainstream of India and are crucial for the development as well as the well-being of the population of Solapur. According to Gadkari, these NH road projects would help in streamlining the city traffic besides reducing the incidence of road accidents and pollution. Furthermore, it will be easier to connect rural areas of the district with the city. The Union Minister said that strengthening the road network is of vital importance for Solapur which has various popular temples including Pandharpur, Siddheshwar Temple, and Akkalkot. Keeping these factors in mind, the NH projects shall facilitate access to the many spiritual sites in the city and district while providing assistance in easing the movement of agricultural goods. Moreover, to alleviate the frequent water scarcity in the district of Solapur, the Union Minister mentioned that several lakes are developed in the district on the Buldhana pattern via the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) since 2016-17. Many available reservoirs have also been deepened. Image Source Also read: MoRTH inaugurates 16 NH projects worth over Rs 2k cr in Maharashtra