<p>"Road Transport and Highways Minister C P Joshi has assured Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda to convert 300 km of state roads as national highways this year," a Road Ministry official said.<br /><br />In addition, in response to Munda's request for adding 20 road stretches in the state under schemes for left-wing affected areas, the minister assured him he would take up the proposal with the Home Ministry for its approval, the official added.<br /><br />Apart from this, the state government has requested the construction of a 5.5-km bridge over the Ganga river in Sahebganj district, which will link Jharkhand to Bihar through NH 80 and 81, the official said, adding that Joshi has asked highways officials for a proposal on this in consultation with officials from Bihar and Jharkhand.<br /><br />Once it is constructed, it can be connected with NH 31 through a link road from the junction of NH 31-34 in Kolkata, thereby linking the three states -- Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal -- the official said.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, the ministry has already set up a committee headed by the Road Secretary to identify state roads which can be converted into National Highways.</p>.<p>The states have requested the Centre to upgrade 60,000 km of state highways into National Highways.</p>.<p>However, the government would convert 10,000 km of state roads into national highways initially and then identify other roads.<br /><br />The Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on Roads in March, 2010, had approved the proposal for declaration of about 10,000 km of state roads as National Highways.<br /><br />The total length of National Highways in the country at present is 70,934 km and the government has announced plans to construct an additional 35,000 km of highways by 2015.</p>
<p>"Road Transport and Highways Minister C P Joshi has assured Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda to convert 300 km of state roads as national highways this year," a Road Ministry official said.<br /><br />In addition, in response to Munda's request for adding 20 road stretches in the state under schemes for left-wing affected areas, the minister assured him he would take up the proposal with the Home Ministry for its approval, the official added.<br /><br />Apart from this, the state government has requested the construction of a 5.5-km bridge over the Ganga river in Sahebganj district, which will link Jharkhand to Bihar through NH 80 and 81, the official said, adding that Joshi has asked highways officials for a proposal on this in consultation with officials from Bihar and Jharkhand.<br /><br />Once it is constructed, it can be connected with NH 31 through a link road from the junction of NH 31-34 in Kolkata, thereby linking the three states -- Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal -- the official said.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, the ministry has already set up a committee headed by the Road Secretary to identify state roads which can be converted into National Highways.</p>.<p>The states have requested the Centre to upgrade 60,000 km of state highways into National Highways.</p>.<p>However, the government would convert 10,000 km of state roads into national highways initially and then identify other roads.<br /><br />The Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on Roads in March, 2010, had approved the proposal for declaration of about 10,000 km of state roads as National Highways.<br /><br />The total length of National Highways in the country at present is 70,934 km and the government has announced plans to construct an additional 35,000 km of highways by 2015.</p>