News Brief
Gujarat Sanctions Rs 2,609 Crore For Revamp Of Rural Roads After Demands From Local Representatives
A highway in Gujarat (Photo: TeshTesh/Wikimedia Commons)
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has cleared a significant infrastructure package worth Rs 2,609 crore to upgrade panchayat-managed rural roads, marking a major push towards strengthening village connectivity across the state.
The plan, approved on Monday (1 September), covers the resurfacing and allied works of 1,258 roads, stretching over 4,196 km, according to an IANS report.
Officials said the initiative is designed to provide all-weather, durable roads that will ease travel between villages and nearby towns.
Under the scheme, 487 roads (1,609 km) in north Gujarat, 499 roads (1,528 km) in south Gujarat, and 272 roads (1,059 km) in Saurashtra will be modernised.
The decision follows years of demands from local representatives and rural communities for dependable infrastructure that can withstand monsoons and heavy usage.
Authorities noted that improved road connectivity is expected to strengthen economic activities in rural areas, facilitate mobility, and provide smoother access to markets, healthcare and education.
At present, the state boasts a road network of more than 1.63 lakh km, including expressways, national and state highways, as well as rural roads.
Gujarat was the first state in India to host an expressway—the Ahmedabad–Vadodara corridor. It has consistently invested in highways, coastal routes and village roads under both central and state-led programmes such as the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.
With large-scale projects, including the Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train, industrial corridors and logistics hubs underway, the state government has tied rural connectivity to its broader infrastructure strategy.
