President inaugurates four-lane highway to link Chittagong port

OUR CORRESPONDENT

AGARTALA, June 7: President Ramnath Kovind in his maiden visit to Tripura today inaugurated the four-lane National Highway No 8 and expressed hope that it will pave the way for the State to have access up to the sea at Chattagong port in Bangladesh once the bridge on River Feni is completed.

In a star studded program at Rajarshi Yatri Niwas in Udaipur he unveiled the plaque to mark the inauguration of the road project amid applause from a large crowed. Earlier the President accompanied by the first lady Savita Kovind arrived at Agartala Air Port by a special flight of the Indian Air Force where he was received by the Governor Tathagata Roy, Chief Minister Biplab Deb and other members of his cabinet.

The President started his address by congratulating the people in the two major state languages Bengali and Kokborok and said the Centre has been giving priority to Northeast in infrastructure development including national highways and highways. He said under the ‘Bharat Mala’ project, a total of 5200 km roads will be constructed to boost road connectivity and out of which Tripura will have 500 km road at an estimated cost of Rs. 6000 crore, he said.

Kovind in his brief speech also mentioned adverse impact of country’s partition in 1947 which also disrupted the State’s natural communication system. He said the distance between Agartala and Kolkata which was only 700 km has suddenly gone up to 1700 km and applauded the initiative of the Government to reduce the distance by constructing new road projects.

The President said the present Government in the Centre is giving much importance in development of North East and improvement of communication is getting highest priority. He said once the infrastructure is built the trade and commerce also will get an impetus.

He also urged the people to use the vast tourism potential of the region full of diversity and greenery. He said the centre’s Act East policy has extended many opportunities and urged the youths of the region to utilise it.