Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated two National Highway projects in Vadodara today built with an investment of Rs 48 crore to ensure a smoother flow of traffic in accident-prone areas.

Bhumi Pujan of these projects in Gujarat was done a year and a half ago on the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The minister said improvement work has been done near Dumad Chowkdi on the Ahmedabad-Vadodara section of National Highway 48. He said this project of about 3 km length has been built at a cost of Rs 27.01 crore. The minister said the new service roads, vehicular underpasses and RCC crash barriers have been built to solve the problem of traffic jams and make the journey safer as the stretch had become prone to accidents due to the congestion.

Gadkari said the length of the second project costing Rs 17 crore to be dedicated to the nation is about 1 km comprising an underpass and service road have been constructed near National Highway 48 Dena Junction of Vadodara. The Minister said under this project, solar powered street lights have been used for the first time on National Highway 48. Polymer Modified Bitumen has been used in the underpass and service road surface which will give it greater strength and better resistance to cracks, he explained.

Gadkari said that for the first time in this construction, a 3-lane service road will also provide better connectivity to Dena, Harini, Virod villages, making this accident-prone area safer for traffic and movement from industrial areas will become smoother.