Gadkari Unveils Rs 200 Bn Highway Projects in Puducherry

15 Oct 2025 CW Team

Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for three National Highway projects worth over Rs 2,000 crore in Puducherry, along with Lt. Governor K. Kailashnathan and Chief Minister N. Rangaswamy.

The projects include a 4-km elevated corridor between Indira Gandhi Square and Rajiv Gandhi Square on NH-32, improvements to the 14-km ECR Road on NH-332A, and the inauguration of the 38-km four-lane Puducherry–Poondiyankuppam section of NH-32. These works will reduce travel time across Puducherry’s urban stretch from 35 minutes to 10 minutes and decongest traffic, saving fuel and cutting emissions.

Highlighting infrastructure’s role in national growth, Shri Gadkari quoted John F. Kennedy: “America is rich because American roads are good.” He reiterated that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India’s highway network has become one of the world’s largest.

He added, “No material is waste and no person is waste,” announcing initiatives to use municipal waste in road construction. The Minister said 80 lakh tonnes of waste have already been utilised, reaffirming the government’s commitment to sustainable, transparent, and high-quality infrastructure.

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