The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday gave its nod for widening of 65 km of Imphal-Moreh section in Manipur at a cost of ₹1,630.29 crore.

For Manipur, being a landlocked State with almost 90 per cent of its area under difficult terrain, road is the only means of transport within the State. The project will improve connectivity between Imphal with the eastern part of the State, an official release said.

Based on the existing and projected traffic requirements, the NH-39 will be widened to four-lane between Lilong village and Wanginj village, while the stretch between Wanginj village to Khongkhang will be upgraded to two-lane with paved shoulder, it added.

The project, to be implemented by NHIDCL, is being developed with Asian Development Bank’s loan assistance under the South Asian Sub-Regional Economic Cooperation Road Connectivity Investment Programme.

The project corridor is also a part of the Asian Highway Number 1 and acts as India’s Gateway to the East. Trade, commerce and tourism in the region will get a boost, the release added.

The government has notified an Integrated Custom Post (ICP) at Moreh.

This project is essential to support the increased traffic volume due to coming up of ICP.

Bamboo and wood-based handicraft items and hand woven textile items made in Manipur will get a new market in Myanmar, the release said, adding that small industries, such as those making farm implements and tools, stationery, plastic extrusion items, carpentry units, could also develop markets beyond the border.

In a related move, the government announced that the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs recently approved a proposal to widen the two-lane section of Solapur-Bijapur Section in Maharashtra and Karnataka to four lanes.

The four-laning of about 110 km is estimated to cost about ₹1,889 crore, including the cost of land acquisition and pre-construction activities.

The four-laning of this road with bypasses at Solapur, Bijapur and construction of six flyovers would greatly reduce travel time and vehicle operating costs.